
Oass 
Book 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 



SIXTEEI MOITHS 



AT THE 




GOLD DIGGINGS. 



BY 



DANIEL B. WOODS. 




NEW YORK: 

HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS. 
82 CLIFF STREET. 

185 1. 



Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year one thousand 

eight hundred and fifty-one, by 

Leonard Woods, 

In the Office of the Clerk of the District Court of the Southern 

District of New York. 



Vs^^ 




/ 



PREFACE. 



It is almost inconceivable what an excitement was 
produced upon nations and individuals by the dis- 
covery, less than four years since, of gold among the 
mountains of Upper California. Tides of human life 
soon set in toward this one point ; currents here met, 
whirling and contending with increasing force ; and, 
where all was silent and calm before, was heard the 
roar, and seen the violence and agitation of the mael- 
strom. 

The writer was for sixteen months employed in 
the gold mines, chiefly upon the American and Tuo- 
umne Rivers and their tributaries. His reasons for 
compiling his notes and presenting them to the pub- 
lic may be briefly stated. It was the request of 
several friends that he would keep a journal of his 
mining life, exhibiting its lights and shades, its for- 
tunes and misfortunes. This he did, jotting down 
from day to day the incidents as they occurred. 
Many mining companions, aware of this fact, re- 
quested him to prepare his journal for the press, that 
their friends might thus have a view of their circum- 
stances and employments. 

Having so long been a miner, and acquainted with 
all his privations and sufferings ; having experienced 



VI PREFACE. 

his elation at success and his depression at failure ; 
having passed through the trying season of acclima- 
tion, and lain once beneath a lone oak, expecting, as 
he looked up to the stars shining clear above him, 
there to end his days ; having rocked the gold-dig- 
ger's cradle, wielded his pick and spade, messed and 
slept v^ith miners, he is prepared to present a correct 
view of his subject for those who have friends at the 
mines. 

He considers that it will be proper to present in- 
cidents of travel on his journey to California, in con- 
nection with the more important object, both to afford 
a view of the dangers and difficulties of the earlier 
emigrants to this country, and also to maintain the 
unity of his plan. 

He hopes to make this little volume useful to those 
who are, or who expect to be, engaged in the ardu- 
ous employments of mining. If any shall be encour- 
aged to perseverance — especially if any young men 
who shall be thus thrown into circumstances where 
immorality and vice are so prevalent, and to which 
many give themselves up too easy victims, shall be 
put upon their guard, his best wishes will have been 
accomplished. He recalls, with sadness, the case of 
a merchant of education and refinement, who left a 
large circle of friends and a young family. With 
bright hopes he started for the gold placers. Dis- 
heartened by several failures, depressed at his sepa- 
ration from his family, he sought in the social cup 
to forget his sorrows and disappointments. Within 
three months from the time he arrived in the coun- 
try he became a subject of mania a potu, and died 



PREFACE. VU 

in the streets of San Francisco. The path of vice in 
California lies not through the ordinary influences of 
life ; it leads not, as elsewhere, through a long course. 
It lies rather on an inclined plane, and speedily runs 
down into despair and ruin. 

I intend to make this volume a miner's manual, 
in which he may find important directions relating 
to the various mining operations. 

Another motive with the writer is the desire to 
induce all who are doing well enough^ who are liv- 
ing within their means and laying hy a little, to re- 
main satisfied at home. The question is often asked, 
Who should go to the mines ? It is very sure that a 
man with a family depending upon his daily efforts 
should not go. He should not exhaust his slender 
means, and run himself in debt, with the hope of 
making himself independent in one or two years. 
Let such a one, who is inclined to do this, picture 
to himself his wife struggling alone with poverty or 
sickness, his children left without a father's presence 
and love to guide and protect, and himself a home- 
less wanderer, subjected to the privations, hardships, 
and sickness incident to such a vagrant life. 

Let the young man go, if he will, who has no fam- 
ily depending upon him — who has a strong constitu- 
tion, and stronger moral courage ; w^ho is sober and 
persevering ; who has little prospect of making a 
comfortable living at home, and who can make up 
his mind to spend five years from it, and to enjoy as 
few comforts as did Diogenes. To such a one there 
may be some comfort in even a miner's life. He has 
not, like the man of family in a similar condition, to 



Vlll PREFACE. 

experience how much the heart can bear and not 
break — ^to live only in the future, while he 

«* Drags at each remove a lengthening chain." 
His is not the history of an exile heart. He may 
enjoy the rest of the laboring man beneath G-od's 
own glorious canopy. The hardships which he en- 
dures in this, the gold-age of his life, may make 
him more satisfied with his situation when he re- 
turns home, while the troubles which once annoyed 
him will not there be -experienced. 

Daniel B. Woods. 

Philadelphia, July 1, 1851. 



SIXTEEN MONTHS 

AT 

THE GOLD DIGGINGS. 



CHAPTER I. 

GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY. 



California extends from Oregon to Sonoma and 
Lower California, and from the Rocky Momitains to 
the Pacific. It shows a coast-front extending ten 
degrees of latitude, from the thirty-second to the for- 
ty-second parallel. To the voyager it presents only 
high and forbidding headlands — mountain ranges 
which step down from the broad table-lands in the 
interior, and push a bold foot far out into the waters 
of the ocean. 

This country possesses 420,000 square miles, and 
is remarkable for its lofty ranges of mountains, among 
which lie interspersed limited but beautiful valleys 
and more extensive plains. Its diversity of climate 
and soil is as great as the varieties of its surface. 

The channel which forms the entrance into this 

singular country from the Pacific is two miles in 

width and three in length, and is opposite, under the 

same parallel of latitude, to the Straits of (jribraltar. 

A2 



10 GEOGRAPHY OF CxVLIFORNIA. 

After passing through this channel, the lowest of the 
series of bays, that of San Francisco, opens broadly 
before you, dotted with several islands clothed with 
verdure, and rocks white with their coating of guano, 
around and upon which hover and settle immense 
flocks of sea-fowls. Above the ranges of hills, in the 
east, rises the distant Sierra, crowned till July with 
its winter snows. The bay opposite the city is twelve 
miles wide, and, with the bays above, contains an- 
chorage ground sufficient to accommodate every ves- 
sel, from the ship of war down to the schooner, in the 
whole world. In the north, the bay contracts into 
a narrow passage, and opens soon into a second spa- 
cious bay, ten miles in diameter. Still another strait 
connects this bay with a third, containing numerous 
islands, and receiving, at its head, the waters of the 
Sacramento and the San Joaquin. These, with the 
Colorado, are the principal rivers of California. 

The mountain ranges may be briefly described. 
Fifty miles from the barren and sandy shore of the 
Pacific, and running parallel with it, is the coast- 
range, well defined, but not so elevated as the other 
more remarkable range. This is the Sierra Nevada, 
or Snowy Range, which bears its lofty peaks, covered 
even into summer with snow, far into the sky. This 
range is one hundred and fifty miles farther inland, 
and also runs parallel with the coast. 

Within all this lies the available portion of Cali- 
fornia, which consists of several fertile valleys, among 
which I shall notice particularly those of San Juan, 
and of the Sacramento and San Joaquin. The for- 
mer is of limited extent, being not more than twen- 



GEOGRAPHY OF CALIFORNIA. 11 

ty miles long by twelve wide, but of great fertility. 
This may be regarded as the garden of California. 
There can not be found a more salubrious or more 
equable climate in any part of the world. It is said 
to resemble that of Andalusia, in Spain. This valley 
is situated between the coast-range and the Pacific, 
and extends from the Bay of San Francisco north 
and south. 

The valley of the Sacramento and the San Joaquin 
lies between the coast-range and the Sierra Nevada. 
It may be considered as one continuous valley, the 
two rivers uniting their waters at the head of the 
bays. It extends in length from about the forty-first 
parallel of latitude, three hundred miles to the delta 
of the Sacramento, and thence to the head waters of 
the San Joaquin. Over this whole region is found 
scattered the evergreen oak, resembling the trees of 
an old apple-orchard, and upon the ridges grows the 
red- wood. A fine growth of pine is found among the 
mountains. 

All the tributaries of the Sacramento and the San 
Joaquin rise among the Sierra Nevada. It is of im- 
portance to have the position of these well under- 
stood. The first branch worthy of note in descend- 
ing the Sacramento is called Feather River. Bear 
Creek and the Yuba are streams emptying into this 
river. The American River is another branch of the 
Sacramento, fed by those streams named North, Mid- 
dle, and South Forks. In proceeding south up the 
San Joaquin, the Stanislaus is the first river of note. 
The next branch is the Tuolumne, and then the 
Merced — the Rio de los Mercedes of Old California, 



12 GEOGRAPHY OF CALIFORNIA. 

and abbreviated into Mercey by the miners. Higher 
up are the Marepoosa, King's, and some smaller riv- 
ers. All these are rapid, clear mountain streams, 
containing abundant supplies of the finest salmon. 
The Sacramento and the San Joaquin have no trib- 
utaries on the lower or western side. 

Still within these interior limits last described lies 
a comparatively narrow belt of land, difficult of ac- 
cess, guarded by a thousand dangers and privations, 
yet possessing all the extraordinary and magical in- 
fluence of Aladdin's cave, and realizing our boyhood's 
dreams when we filled our hats with the shining coins. 
This — the heart of the country — is the true, the mys- 
terious California — the shrine at which tens of thou- 
sands of weary and exile pilgrims do homage, and 
where already great multitudes have left their bones. 
This is California — the country lately an uninviting 
wilderness, where the Indian and the bear disputed 
possession, now, all along its streams, upon its bars, 
in its gulches and ravines, covered with the tented 
home of the miner, while its hill sides echo back ten 
thousand eager voices, the din of innumerable picks 
and shovels, and the scraping and grating sounds of 
a thousand cradles incessantly rocked, emptied, and 
refilled. 

Let us attempt a description. 

Between the Sierra Nevada on the east, and the 
Sacramento and San Joaquin on the west, and at 
about twenty-five miles distance from both, are the 
foot or lower hills of the Nevada. These foot-hills 
nibrace, or rather constitute, the gold region. They 
are perfectly defined upon the lower side, where they 



THE GOLD REGION. 13 

rise abruptly from the level plain below. Upon the 
upper side they are irregular, often running up to- 
ward the mountains, and rising to an elevation of 
three or four thousand feet. This belt of land is 
five hundred miles in length and fifty in width. It 
is traversed by the tributaries of the Sacramento and 
the San Joaquin which have been mentioned. These 
streams, rising in the Sierra Nevada, and flowing 
west, cut their channels through these foot-hills. 
They also receive, in their progress, the arroyos from 
a thousand springs, which burst out over all this en- 
chanted region. These creeks and rivulets, some- 
times gliding smoothly along to their meeting, and 
sometimes becoming impetuous mountain torrents, 
form the world-renowned ravines and gulches of the 
California gold diggings. During the prevalence of 
some great freshet, or other cause sufficient to produce 
such an effect, these streams are sometimes pushed 
out of their former channels, which instead are filled 
up, sometimes to the depth of thirty or even forty 
feet, with a loose foreign soil. Such placers constitute 
many and the most important of the " dry diggings," 
which sometimes spread themselves out over valleys 
to some considerable extent, and were doubtless form- 
ed by washings from the hills in the vicinity. 

The " river diggings" include the bars and aurif- 
erous portions of the channels of the tributaries of the 
Sacramento and San Joaquin, during their passage 
through the foot-hills. 

Though the broad belt of ground which has been 
here described is named the gold region, it is by no 
means to be supposed that the precious metal is found 



14 THE GOLD REGION. 

equally distributed over its surface, as if it had rain- 
ed down, or been thrown broadcast by some volcanic 
action over the whole country. The placers where 
the auriferous dust is found are, in comparison with 
the whole extent of the country so named, exceed- 
ingly limited. The miner often travels many miles 
over this region — he wanders for days along its river 
banks and over its bars, and turns aside into some 
of its numerous ravines — ^he often pauses to examine 
spots which appear to him favorable, and with his 
pick, shovel, and knife — always his companions — 
digs his fifty holes, testing each with his pan, with- 
out success. And even when he comes to the favor- 
ed bar or placer from which many pounds of gold may 
have been taken, there is perhaps one chance in fifty 
in favor of his collecting any considerable amount of 
gold. Upon these very localities thousands of indus- 
trious miners barely make their living. The hopeful 
miner eagerly hastens, with high expectations, to the 
diggings. He chooses his bar, and marks off a claim ; 
this he faithfully " prospects," then abandons it for 
another and another, till he comes to the conclusion 
that the whole business is a lottery. 

The primitive formations prevailing through the 
gold diggings are the soft granite and the talcose slate. 
The superstrata are various, and depend upon the 
formations in the hills adjoining. The first in im- 
portance, as being intimately combined with the gold, 
is the quartz. This is found in broken fragments, 
from the fine pebbles to the huge masses, over the 
whole surface of the country. It is often seen crown- 
ing the hill-tops, and sometimes is found in veins in 



CLIMATE. 15 

the valleys. There can he no douht that the quartz 
and the gold were formed in comhmation. 

This is now so universally admitted as not to re- 
quire to he substantiated. It is also placed beyond 
a douht that the gold of the mines has heen attrited, 
and taken to the various deposits by the action of 
water ; and the gold is found in coarser or finer par- 
ticles, according as it is exposed to a greater or less 
degree of this action. In some cases, the gold has 
been found running in veins, more or less rich, through 
the quartz, and so closely combined that they must 
be reduced to powder before they can be separated. 
"With but few exceptions, however, the working of 
these veins has not proved profitable. 

Perhaps there is no part of my whole subject so 
difficult to be described as the climate of California. 
One cause of this is, that it is so different in various 
parts of the state, and in the same part during the 
various seasons. In general there are two seasons — 
a wet and a dry. The first commences about the 
middle of October, and continues to the first or mid- 
dle of April. It must not be supposed that there is 
rain continually during this season. My journal ex- 
hibits the following statistical results : 

In October, 1849, it rained two days — the 9th 
and 10th. 

In November, 1849, it rained fourteen days — 
cloudy three days. 

In December, 1849, it rained eight days — cloudy 
three days, and snow one day. 

In January, 1850, it rained seventeen days — cloudy 
one day, and snow three days. 



16 SOIL PRODUCTS. 

In February, 1850, it rained four days — cloudy 
three days, and snow three days. 

In March, 1850, it rained nine days — cloudy three 
days, and snow one day. 

In April, 1850, it rained one day — April 5th. 

During the months of October, November, and 
December, 1849, and of January, 1850, the mean 
average temperature indicated by the thermometer 
was as follows : 

At sunrise, 36°. 

At noon, 50°. 

Lowest at sunrise, 23°. 

Highest at sunrise, 48°. 

Lowest at noon, 40°. 

Highest at noon, 50°. 

In February, 1850, in the morning, 36°. 
" " " at noon, 62°. 

In March, at morning, 39°. 
'' " at noon, 58°. 

The Hon. T. Butler King estimates, in his report 
to government, that the soil west of the Sierra Ne- 
vada covers an area of between fifty and sixty thou- 
sand square miles, and is capable of supporting a pop- 
^^lation equal to that of Ohio or New York at the 
present time. A large portion of this land, al- 
though fertile, can not be cultivated, owing to the 
drought. The portion of the soil capable of irriga- 
tion is comparatively small, and lies upon the rivers 
and streams. 

The products of this state are various. The cli- 
mate and soil are well suited to the cultivation of 
wheat, rye, barley, and oats, the last of which grows 



HISTORY OF MINING. 17 

spontaneously over the whole length of the sea-coast, 
and for many miles into the interior. Irish pota- 
toes, turnips, onions, and beets are produced in great 
perfection. The various fruits are cultivated with 
facility. 

It is not the design of this work to give a history 
of California previous to the discovery of its gold. 
But it may be proper, in connection with the geog- 
raphy of the country, to present a brief history of the 
mines and the operations of the miners. 

In the spring of the year 1848, Mr. Suter em- 
ployed two men to make an exploring tour along 
the branches of the American River, where it passes 
through the foot-hills already described, to find a 
growth of pine timber, and a suitable site for a mill 
for sawing it into boards. The site and the timber 
were found upon the south branch of that river. Lit- 
tle dreamed those day-laborers, as they broke ground 
for then* rude mill, in that solitary wilderness, that 
the results of that day's labor would give employ- 
ment to thousands and tens of thousands of such im- 
plements as they then used ; that the one spadeful 
of red dirt, at whcih they gazed so intently, at the 
bottom of which a few yellow bits of shining dust 
appeared, was soon to exert a mysterious, a profound 
influence upon the commerce, the welfare, the des- 
tinies of the whole human family. An influence 
was about to go forth from that narrow ditch which 
would return again, and bring with it an innumera- 
ble multitude, thronging from every quarter of the 
world, overcoming all difficulties, bringing with them 
their houses and supplies, and spreading themselves 



18 HISTORY OF MINING. 

over the hills and valleys of this country. That mo- 
ment was an epoch in the w^orld's history. It was 
the discovery of gold ; and, which is of far more im- 
portance, it was the planting of the Anglo-Saxon 
upon the shores of the Pacific. 

At this time California contained but fifteen thou- 
sand people. The belt of gold country was compar- 
atively uninhabited, and entirely without supplies of 
provisions, except such as might be procured by the 
rifle of the hunter, and as entirely destitute of shelter. 
In a few weeks after the 1st of June, 1848, it is esti- 
mated that there were five thousand miners. As they 
came generally without provisions, these command- 
ed an exorbitant price. At the time Rev. Alcalde 
Colton visited the mines, which was some time after 
the discovery, flour sold for $4 the pound, sugar and 
coflee at ^4, a tin pan ^6, laudanum $1 the drop, 
rum $20 a quart, and picks sold at $18 each. It 
was not until the summer and fall of 1849 that the 
American emigration began to arrive. They came 
across the plains, through Mexico, by the Isthmus, 
and around the Horn ; and before the winter it was 
calculated that there were fifty thousand engaged in 
this business. During this season the miners extend- 
ed themselves along many of the streams and through 
many of the ravines of the gold region. The provi- 
sions were scanty and unsuitable. Very fev/ vege- 
tables, and little fresh meat, were to be purchased at 
any price. Flour and pork were the staples, which 
were sold at $1 the pound till the rainy season com- 
menced, when they sold for $2. A few bottles of 
pickles which reached the mines were sold at $6 and 



PROFITS OF MINmO. 19 



^8 the bottle. In the winter good boots brought 
and ordinary $32 and $64. 

The year 1850 opened more favorably in the sup- 
plies furnished at the mines. It was estimated by 
Mr. King, who wrote at that time, that during the 
year there would be one hundred thousand miners 
employed. Many of them had built themselves com- 
fortable log or stone houses — ^provisions were more 
abundant, and at lower rates. Vegetables, fresh 
meats, and fish were constantly supplied, many of 
them from the vicinity of the mines. 

It will be perceived that the statistics which I 
have prepared of the profits of mining differs essen- 
tially from other published tables. I have only to 
say in defense of my own, that they are the result of 
the most careful observation and inquiry during six- 
teen months' residence in the mines. They are fur- 
nished by individuals most of whom have given their 
names and residences in connection with the results 
of their labors. The table presents the average prof- 
its in their most favorable aspect, being furnished by 
a class of industrious and persevering miners. The 
winter averages of fifty-six miners in the best of the 
southern diggings is $3 26 for each day to each 
miner. 

The summer averages were based upon the op- 
erations of mining companies located upon the most 
profitable bars of the Tuolumne, and furnished in 
every case but one by the secretaries of those com- 
panies. The table gives the result of thirty-five 
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six working 
days, which was bullion valued at $113,633 95, or 



20 PROFITS OF MINING. 

an average of $3 16 for each day's laLor to each 
man. 

Hon. T. Butler King, in his report to government, 
gives the average as $16 per diem. It is a question 
of some importance which of these is the correct esti- 
mate. Let us present the aggregate amount of gold 
taken out of all the California mines during the year, 
according to both estimates. According to that of 
Senator King, and allowing the year to have three 
hundred and thirteen working days, the one hund- 
red thousand miners would give the sum total of 
^500,800,000, or over half a billion dollars yearly, 
while the average sum would be $5008 to each mi- 
ner. The other estimate would average $1004 73, 
and present the total profits of the mines for the 
year as $100,473,000. One would think that the 
rest of the world should be satisfied with having pick- 
ed from the pockets of this old California miser who 
has hoarded his treasures so long, nearly a hundred 
million of dollars in one year ! Half a billion ! that 
would be taking too much ! 

Not only is the digging of gold the most uncertain 
of all employments, it is also one in which science 
and all past experience are at fault. No rules can 
be given, no evidences furnished for finding the con- 
cealed veins or opening the rich deposits. The mi- 
ner is not sure of his gold till he holds it in his hand, 
and then it seems very difficult for him to hold on to 
it. One of our coins is very properly denominated 
the eagle, since it seems endued with wings, and is 
so apt to fly away. 



VOYAGE TO TAMPICO. 21 



CHAPTER 11. 



VOYAGE TO CALIFORNIA. 



On the 1st of February, 1849, we embarked, at 
the foot of Arch Street, Philadelphia, on board the 
barque Thomas "Walters, under command of Captain 
Marshman, for Tampico, thence intending to cross 
Mexico, and, re-embarking at Mazatlan, to proceed 
up the Pacific coast to San Francisco. Our company 
consisted of about forty persons, known as the Ca- 
margo Company. There were among them men from 
all the professions and pursuits in life — young and 
old, grave and gay, married and unmarried. 

After the usual amount of adventures, sea-sick- 
ness, and home-sickness, we arrived at Tampico on 
the 21st of February, where we were most happy to 
exchange the monotony, the junk and other salt pro- 
visions, and the green waves of a sea life, for the 
pleasing variety, the delicious fruits and vegetables, 
and the beautiful fields of a tropical climate. 

"We must take our readers with us, first to the the- 
atre of Tampico, where we went, not as spectators, 
but as actors upon its boards. The first night after 
our arrival we appeared upon its stage, performing 
our parts in the celebrated farce, the California Grold 
Diggers — a play which has since been performed a 
thousand times, and with unabated interest. To ex- 
plain myself, our quarters, while in the city, were 



22 JOURNEY FROM TAMPICO. 

in the old theatre, the various rooms of which we 
occupied as sleeping and eating apartments. 

This city is pleasantly located upon an elevated 
promontory, being almost an island, having the River 
Panuco on the one side, and a lake upon the other. 
It contains about seven thousand inhabitants, many 
of whom are Americans. There are several large 
plazas or public squares, and some pleasant houses. 
The American consul. Captain Chase, took us to the 
spot where his heroic wife raised the American flag, 
and maintained it in spite of the threats of the Mex- 
icans. 

The furnishing of such a company as ours with 
all the horses and mules necessary for a journey of 
about eight hundred miles was not to be accom- 
plished at once. On the morning of the 8th of 
March, and the fifteenth day after our arrival, we 
were mounted on " mustangs," a small and hardy 
horse, peculiarly adapted to the mountains over 
which we were to travel, our provisions and clothing 
being on the backs of mules. All being ready, we 
slowly filed out from the hacienda of Mr. Laffler, a 
large farmer from Ohio, who was under contract to 
supply us with animals to Mazatlan. We had spent 
some days here preparing for the march, and amus- 
ing ourselves in spearing fish, and in shooting deer 
and alligators, being ourselves likewise the sport of 
innumerable swarms of musquitoes, ticks, fleas, and 
jiggers. This latter insect, though very small, is the 
occasion, at times, of great inconvenience and suffer- 
ing. These tropical insects handled us so cruelly, 
that we were compelled to write, eat, and sleep with 



ORDER OF MARCH. 23 

gloves. To avoid them at night, I encased myself 
in a bag, made of cotton, which I drew up over my 
v^^hole body, then bringing it around my head. This 
arrangement proved so much to my advantage that 
I continued it during the whole time of my absence. 

Upon the march, a Caballero, mounted upon his 
mule, took the lead, followed by the whole train of 
draught mules and the attendants. Then came the 
guide and the company, sometimes drawn up, under 
our military captain, in regular order of march, and 
sometimes extended out over the trail as far as the 
eye could reach. We were advised to keep well to- 
gether, and never to dispense with the night-guard, 
on account of the guerillas, who would ever be on the 
watch for an opportunity to attack us. 

For several days our march lay across the level 
plains of the Tierra Caliente, the region of perpetual 
spring, and clothed with verdure. Having reached 
the foot-hills of the Sierra Madre, or Andes of Mexico, 
one day's travel brought us up into the temperate 
region. This was the lower table-land. The land- 
scape was no longer gay with flowers, but abounded 
in immense forests. Here were found the varieties 
of the musquite, the stately cypress, and the banyan. 
The whole undergrowth was a thorny thicket, in 
which the prickly pear and the cactus predominated. 
After traveling a day over this region, we came to a 
valley, into which we descended, and where, in the 
midst of a fertile country, we entered Yilla de Vallee. 
This town contains a cathedral in ruins, which, like 
those of many of the towns of Mexico, were partially 
destroyed at the time of the revolution, and have 



24 LETTER OF INTRODUCTION. 

never since been repaired. One of the wings was 
occupied as a chapel, while the residence of the Pa- 
dre was in a kind of shed behind. 

A letter from Bishop Kendrick, of Philadelphia, 
which he kindly sent me as I was about leaving 
home, procured me every attention here. This gen- 
eral letter of introduction, written in the Latin lan- 
guage, gained for me much valuable information from 
the priests of Mexico. The assistance, and in some 
cases the protection, which it secured to our whole 
company, can not be overrated. It is as follows : 

" Nos Franciscus Patricius Kendrick, Dei et Apos- 
tolicse Sedis Grratia, Episcopus Philadelphiensis Uni- 
versis has litteras inspecturis notum facimus et tes- 
tamur Danielem B. Woods, in Statu Massachusetts 
natum, et per aliquot annos hujus urbis incolam, 
civem esse spectabilem moribus, et fama integra, 
quem suorum negotiorum causa alio migrantem, om- 
nibus commendamus, ut si qua indiguerit opera arni- 
ca, ea fruatur. 

*' In quorum fidem has litteras dedimus Philadel- 
phise die XXX. mensis Januarii anno MDCCCXLIX. 
'' Franciscus Patricius, Ep. Phil." 

Padre Calisti endorsed this letter in Spanish. 

The houses of Villa de Vallee were of one story, 
and generally made of mud-bricks dried in the sun. 
The people seemed all poor and very indolent, the 
women, as is the case through Mexico, being far su- 
perior to the men in industry and intelligence. We 
remained here several days to have our animals shod, 
a necessary preparation for crossing the mountains. 



MOUNTAIN PATHS. , 25 

The day before we left, the padre invited me to dine 
with him. 

After the animals were made ready, we proceeded 
over the plains toward the mountains, some of the 
peaks of which we could see. Before we reached 
these we crossed the Tomwin River at a small town 
where we passed the night. The place for the en- 
tertainment of travelers was near the banks of the 
river, and late m the afternoon we walked out to the 
stream, where were gathered men, women, and chil- 
dren, floundering and bathing in the water. Nor was 
it long before several of our company were joining 
in their wild and gleeful sports. 

For some time reports of a revolution in the coun- 
try about us reached our ears, and hearing from 
some villagers that, if we kept on our course, we 
should meet the insurgents the next day, we con- 
cluded to turn aside at once into the mountains, 
though we should thus be compelled to ascend by a 
path which is seldom attempted. We were three 
days in climbing the mountains and clambering over 
the rocks — such as I hope not to see again. Its pre- 
cipices were fearful. We would sometimes wind our 
way up or down the face of a mountain by paths cut 
in the side, over which a person might be let down 
many hundred feet by ropes. It was a volcanic 
country, and its conical peaks were surrounded for 
miles with scoria and pumice-stone, which tore tlie 
shoes from the feet of our animals, rendering it al- 
most impossible to travel. This was a country fitted 
for the ladrones and guerillas. And the frequent 
crosses planted by the path told of murders which 

B 



26 



COWARDLY BANDITj 



had been committed here, and where the traveler 
was, if so disposed, to offer up prayers for the repose 
of the souls of the murdered. "We were cautioned 
to be on our guard, and to maintain a constant watch 
at night. But, notwithstanding such cautions, we 
were often tempted, for the sake of avoiding the dust, 
to travel in advance of the train. In company with a 
gentleman who was armed as well as myself, I start- 
ed on, not expecting to meet our companions again 
till we halted for the night. "We were about three 
miles in advance of the train, and, as we rode around 
the angle of a large rock near the path, six or seven 
men, w^ho were lying there apparently watching for 
us, started suddenly to their feet and sprung to our 
side. Our guns w^ere fortunately in our hands, and 
in a position that w^e could use them ; w^e were also 
armed with revolvers and knives at our belts. See- 
ing that we were not intimidated by their violent ges- 
tures, but were calm and ready, they soon dropped 
behind us, and after a time disappeared. These rob- 
bers never attack travelers if every chance is not in 
their favor. A small party of five persons belonging 
to our company were placed in greater danger even 
than ours. They were traveling some days before 
us, and not far from this same spot. They had been 
warned at the last town that a party of twenty gue- 
rillas had gone out early in the morning for the pur- 
pose of attacking them. As they rode slowly on, 
they came in sight of the robbers, who had chosen 
well their positions, and were waiting for them. Five 
of the twenty-one robbers were stationed in the path, 
while the others were divided up into small gangs 



THE TABLE-LAND. 27 

on each side and in the rear. All these were mount- 
ed but one, who was employed as a runner between 
the different parties. The Americans halted, newly 
capped their rifles and revolvers, and slowly proceed- 
ed on their way. With pale faces, but undaunted 
hearts, they rode up to the Mexicans, who, as they 
came on, retired and allowed them to pass. When 
they reached the summit of a hill a half mile dis- 
tant, and looked back, the robbers were still in the 
same position. The knowledge, on their part, of the 
certainty, in case of an encounter, of the death of 
some of their number, daunted them. 

At length we reached the summit of the table- 
land, eight thousand feet above the level of the sea, 
which spread out a vast plain before us, from which 
many lofty volcanic peaks sprung up, attaining to 
an elevation of fourteen thousand feet. 

Excepting in the valleys, there is but little vege- 
tation upon these plateaus. And we could not im- 
agine where the supplies for the markets of the cities 
could be obtained. For several days our path lay 
through palm and palmetto groves. The parasol 
shade of their small tops was no shelter from the heat 
of the sun at noon, but rather increased its intensity. 
And the whole day long would come, screaming over 
us, the never-ending flocks of parrots. Their cry, to 
a weary traveler, is almost intolerable. ^The cactus, 
Mexico's national flower, and emblazoned upon her 
coat of arms, and stamped upon her coin, is found here 
in a thousand varieties. The beautiful flower itself 
is often three feet in height. After leaving these 
palm groves, we entered upon a very barren and des- 



2S 



A HURRICANE. 



olate region. It was a desert of sand and dust, al- 
most without water. Our mules would raise such a 
cloud of dust, especially if there was any wind, as to 
be nearly suffocating. The great elevation to which 
we had attained caused the most disagreeable sensa- 
tions. On lying down at night, or rising in the morn* 
ing, there would be a painful giddiness. The skin be- 
came parched and dry, and the spirits were oppressed. 
While traveling over this region, we were overtaken 
one day by a dust storm, which was as novel as it 
was oppressive. It was near night. "We saw before 
us, which after a time spread out all around us, many 
wild whirlwinds which extended up into the sky, car- 
rying with them apparently solid conical masses of 
clouds. We counted upward of sixty cones formed 
and forming at the same time. As the sun was set- 
ting, these extended at the top, opening something 
in the form of an umbrella, the cones still continuing 
to play up their heaving masses into its expanding 
bosom, which presented a most unearthly and terrific 
appearance. It was the blackness of darkness^ which 
suddenly became illuminated by the lurid flashes of 
lightning darting through it, and forming a picture of 
that wrath which, we may suppose, broods and bursts 
over the bottomless pit. Suddenly its edges closed 
down around us, snatching away the remaining light 
of day, and shrouding us in darkness, like that of 
Egypt, through which we groped, calling and shout- 
ing to each other, yet not able to see a yard before us. 

"Eripiunt subito nubes coelumque, diemque 
Teucrorum ex oculis ; ponto iiox incubat atra." 

Again a rush was heard, which came nearer and 









travelers' fare. 29 

more near, filling us with dread, till it struck us 
with the suddenness of a blow. It was as though 
all those cones had drawn closer and closer together, 
till they were piled into one consolidated mountain 
of dust, pressed down by the mass in the air upon 
our heads. For a time all our efforts to see or to 
speak were vain. We could hardly breathe. If we 
moved at all, it was by setting our backs against the 
elements and pushing with all our strength. There 
was not a drop of rain ; it was a storm of dust — a s/- 
rocco. Fortunately for us, we were near the meson, 
which we entered after being half an hour exposed to 
its fury, and as it was abating. Every thing was 
penetrated by it, and it seemed as though water could 
not clean our eyes or our throats. 

In the mesons, the various apartments for travelers, 
the stables, the eating-room, and all the offices, are 
built around a spacious paved court, upon which all 
the windows and doors open. A large gate forms the 
entrance, which is closed and bolted at night. The 
rooms for travelers, often twenty feet square, are en- 
tirely unfurnished. He is to supply his own bed and 
bedding, which he spreads out upon a floor which 
seems never to have been swept. For his meals he 
must go to the foncla, and order what he may choose 
or what they may have. One dish at a time is spread 
upon the bare table, which is often furnished with 
plates, but not often with knives, forks, or spoons. A 
variety of soups, made hot with red pepper, and a 
slice of bread, forms the first course. Then follows 
rice, with thin Indian cakes. Sometimes squash fried 
in lard is added. A favorite dessert is the Mexican 



so MEXICAN IGNORANCE. 

custard, made of rice or chocolate. Coffee, wine, or 
pulque, a drink made of the maguey, closes the enter- 
tainment. There are distilleries in the country where 
the pulque is converted into a most hateful species of 
whisky. 

In the morning the horses and mules are led out 
into the court, every preparation is made, and the 
travelers take their leave, throwing hehind them 
their hasty adieus. These mesons in city and coun- 
try are very filthy, and much infested with vermin. 
In one instance we saw a number of Tarantulas — 
the venomous black spider of the tropics — hanging 
upon the walls of our room after we had slept upon 
its floor. 

On the 22d of March we entered San Luis Potosi. 
This is a large city, possessing considerable wealth. 
It is near the silver mines, and contains a mint. 

We saw here, for the first time, a stage-coach. It 
was up for the city of Mexico, distant about three 
hundred miles, which journey is accomplished in six 
days, at an expense of $25 for a seat. The coach 
consists of a large unwieldy frame, upon which is 
swung the body, which is comparatively small. 

The ignorance of the Mexicans is equal to their 
superstition. "We were amused at an instance afford- 
ed us in the case of a schoolmaster. While describ- 
ing to him the modes of traveling in America, we 
told him about the steamers, at which he was not 
miuch surprised, having heard of them before ; but 
when we told him of the rail-road, he listened with 
the same incredulity with which the King of Siam 
heard the missionaries describe ice ; but when we 



A COCK-FIGHT. 31 

told him of the telegraph, he slowly arose, wrapped 
his serapi around him, and moved off', without deign- 
ing us a word or a look. 

We were present at a cock-fight, one of the favor- 
ite amusements of the Mexicans in general, and of 
Santa Anna in particular. A low fence inclosed the 
pit, within which were the attendants exhibiting the 
game cocks, and the owners who were taking the 
bets of the spectators. Among these were several 
padres, always known by their peculiar dress. The 
crowd around exhibited no excitement. Grambling 
with the Mexicans is a regular pursuit, and not a 
means of diversion or excitement. There was no 
difference in their appearance, whether they were at 
church or at their cock-fights. After all the betting 
was done, long steel spears, made very sharp, and 
tliree inches in length, were fastened upon the legs 
of the cocks, and they were pitted to fight. In the 
first encounter, one cock thrust his spear into the 
breast of the other, which died very soon after. In 
the second, two fine cocks were pitted, and more in- 
terest than usual was felt and deeper betting elicit- 
ed. In less than half a minute, one w^as lying dead, 
the spear of the other being thrust so far through his 
head that it was with difficulty withdrawn. 

In one of our rambles through the city, we were 
accosted in the most remarkable manner by a well- 
dressed and beautiful sigilorita. She was seated at 
a window of one of the houses of the wealthy. As 
we caught her piercing black eye, she- smiled a cor- 
dial greeting, to which one of the party responded by 
a respectful " Buenos dias, signorita I" Her reply 



32 DEXTERITY AVITH THE LASSO. 

was a terrible oath, and a most obscene expression 
in English, and yet there was that about her manner 
and tone which denoted that she meant to say that 
which was very civil and kind. We were told, when 
relatinsf the incident afterward to an Enojlishman 

O CD 

residing in the city, that some American soldiers 
very basely amused themselves, while pretending to 
teach the sigiloritas our language, by making them 
repeat just the expressions we had heard, and other 
similar ones, as forms of polite salutation. 

We spent two days in the city to give rest to our 
animals, and then proceeded on our way toward 
Guadalaxara. Between these two cities the coun- 
try is more uneven. The scenery is often very beau- 
tiful. We received many cautions to be on our 
guard, as we were to pass through a part of tlie 
country where many depredations and murders had 
been committed. We were told of travelers who had 
been suddenly dragged from their horses by the lasso, 
and murdered. One day we witnessed an instance 
of the surprising skill of the Mexicans in the use of 
the lasso. One of the horses threw his rider, and 
went galloping off across the plain. In a moment a 
muleteer had spurred his mule forward in pursuit, 
coiling up his rope as he went. Presently the coil 
darted through the air, and fell with unerring aim 
over the head of the horse, bringing him at once to 
a pause. 

The most beautiful city we saw in Mexico was 
S'anta Maria de los Lagos. Its cathedral was grand, 
towering high above its houses, and, as we rode 
through the streets, was inviting, by its chimes, to 



GUADALAXARA. 33 

vespers. This town appeared to be more thriving 
and prosperous than any we had seen. The remark 
has often been made that the views of the city and 
its environs, from the tower of the cathedral, are 
similar to those of Jerusalem. San Juan de los La- 
gos, another city a day's journey from the former, 
was almost equal in beauty. Its cathedral was 
even more splendid. The first object which caught 
our attention, as we were crossing the plaza on 
which it fronted, was a woman creeping on her knees 
toward the steps of the cathedral, probably as a pen- 
ance. 

It was not without some apprehension, after hav- 
ing heard so much of guerilla parties, that we saw 
before us, the day after we left the last town, a com- 
pany of armed men coming toward us. We were 
ordered to examine our arms, and have them ready 
for use. They proved to be government troops, which 
were m-arching to meet the insurgents in Tamaulipas 
county. At their head were several American de- 
serters, but not Americans, v/ho were leading along 
some females by the hand. We also met a company 
of ^^ Volunteers,''^ who had just been "pressed" into 
service. They were chained together in gangs of ten 
or more, and were driven along — the most desperate- 
looking wretches. 

On the 2d of April, 1849, we reached Gruada- 
laxara. This is the second city in Mexico, and con- 
tains a population of 125,000. Some of the cathe- 
drals have cost millions. Many of the public build- 
ings and squares, and the palaces of the wealthy, are 
very beautiful. The interiors of the cathedrals glist- 
B2 



61 HATS OFF. 

ened \7ith tlieir silver shrines, chandeliers, and rail- 
ino:s. The rude floors were covered with kneelinsf 
worshipers. The tones of the bells are very clear 
and sonorous. This is probably owing to the large 
amount of silver used in their composition. This, 
like the city of Mexico, is very compact, the streets 
straight, broad, and well paved. The houses, with 
their heavy-grated windows upon the streets, and 
their huge door-ways in the centre, gave them the 
appearance of so many fortresses. It is behind these 
walls and gates that the Mexican is luxurious and 
extravagant. His house is most gayly furnished, nor 
does he spare any expense in procuring that which 
will please his fancy. The women never wear bon- 
nets. The covering for the head is called the reboso. 
This is a kind of scarf, some six feet long and three 
wide, which covers the head, and is drawn closely 
down over the face, and then crosses in front. It is 
a very common practice with the Mexican women to 
smoke the cigarrito. 

In this city we were first made rather painfully 
aware of a custom of the country, of uncovering the 
head while passing the front portal of the cathedral. 
Two or three- stones, well aimed, removed the hats 
which our hands should have removed. The streets, 
as in the cities generally, are here cleaned by the 
convicts,, who are chained and guarded by soldiers. 
As we were passing one of these gangs, I had fallen, 
behind my companions, and was alone. One of the 
soldiers came to me, and, saying " Amigo" (friend), 
suddenly thrust his hand into my pocket. Suppos- 
ing that he wanted tobacco, I told him I had none.. 



TKE CATHEDRAL. 35 

While I was speaking, another soldier put his hand 
into a pocket on the other side. 

Here we witnessed the procession of the Host. 
The priest, carrying the sacred emblems, rode in a 
carriage, followed by a band of music, and numerous 
attendants bearing a flag, upon which was painted 
the likeness of a lamb, about which were many per- 
sons bearing lighted lanterns. Then came a crowd of 
citizens. As the procession passed, all in the stree* 
knelt. 

One among the many cathedrals we visited greatly- 
interested us. It was filled with beautiful exotics, 
brought there from the gardens of the wealthy in honor 
of the approaching Easter holidays. As we were pass- 
ing through the aisles, examining the flowers, a lady 
of rank and fortune, perceiving us, called a lad to her, 
whispering to him. He went out by a side door, but 
soon returned, followed by a venerable-looking priest, 
who addressed us in correct English. When he had 
read Bishop Kendriok's letter, he gave us a cordial 
welcome, and led us into his library, one of the larg- 
est on the continent. This contained many of our 
own standard works, and was ornamented by the por- 
traits of distinguished men, among which we noticed 
a splendid portrait of Washington. Assuring me we 
should want nothing to render our journey agreeable 
and safe, he sent an attendant to show us the paint- 
ings and treasures of the cathedral. 

On the 4th of April we left G-uadalaxara, having 
received notice from an officer of government that no 
travelers were permitted to enter or to leave the city 
during the Easter solemnities. In a few hours we 



36 REPORTS OF ROBBERS. 

entered the wild passes of a very picturesque and 
mountainous country. The first time for many days 
our road led us along over many fine mountain 
streams, and through forests, where we began to find 
our own pine and oak. "A song for the brave old 
oak" was heartily responded to by all. As night set 
in, we pitched our camp in a narrow defile, surround- 
ed by high peaks, which we were to ascend on the 
morrow. The inhabitants seemed as wild as their 
country. Every hour our guides were coming to us 
with stories of recent robberies and murders, and com- 
mitted upon the very spot, perhaps, where we then 
were. In one deep gorge of the mountains into which 
we were passing, we were told that three hundred 
armed guerillas awaited us. And, in another place, a 
few days previous, some government soldiers had met 
a large company of robbers, and had dispersed them, 
after shooting several of the most desperate. In cor- 
roburation of these stories, we suddenly came upon 
a scene so fearfully in keeping with our own excited 
state of feeling, and the wild character of the country 
around us, that we shall never lose the impression 
left upon our imaginations. In the midst of a field 
charred and blackened by a fire which had passed 
over it, stood out in bold relief a gallows, upon which 
were hanofinsf three manacled and distorted bodies. 
There they had hung about six weeks, after having 
murdered twenty persons. Over the gallows, which 
was a painted one, were printed these words of warn- 
ing: " Asi Castiga La Ley Al Ladron Y Al Asesino." 
Magdaleiia is a pleasant town, situated among the 
mountains, on the banks of a beautiful lake. Here 



EASTER CEREMONIES. 37 

we saw the first of the dramatic street representations 
of the closing scenes in the life of our Savior. These 
consisted in enacting each day in their order the 
events recorded in Scripture. Most of the day and 
one entire night were devoted to these exhibitions, in 
which all the people participated. In Magdalena the 
procession paraded the streets during the night, with 
torches, and accompanied by a band performing sol- 
emn music. The image of the Savior, which was 
Spanish in its features, like all the sacred images of 
Mexico, had a bandage over the eyes, and was led 
away by a band of ruffians, as if for trial. At a dis- 
tance the image of the Virgin Mary was borne along 
by weeping females. We saw nothing more — not 
again entering any town — till the third night, when 
we reached Tocotes. At this stage in the series the 
Savior was represented as borne by the centurions and 
soldiers to the tomb. The image was placed in a 
glass coffin strewed with flowers. This was borne 
by men. At a distance was the image of Mary led 
by women, her hands folded in an attitude of grief. 
The cathedral was decorated with a profusion of flow- 
ers, in the midst of which was the tomb. These 
tragical scenes were followed, at the close, by a fan- 
dango^ which is a dance peculiar to the country. It 
is a lazy shuffle, accompanied by music upon the gui- 
tar, varied occasionally by a song, in the chorus of 
which all present join. 

During one evening of Easter, soon after we had 
arrived at the meson, some one came rushing in, in- 
forming us that the guerillas had snrrounded us. 
Seizing our arms, we hastened to the court, where 



o8 VOLCANIC MOUNTAIN. 

all was confusion. There were thirty rohbers out- 
side the walls. They said that they were government 
soldiers, and loudly demanded admittance, asserting 
that they came from the alcalde. The proprietor 
told them they were ladrones, and refused to admit 
them. They left soon after, threatening to return. 
The alcalde came in much alarmed, and told us that 
they were robbers ; that the troops of governm.ent 
never traveled during Easter, and if they did they 
were bound to report themselves to him. We mutu- 
ally pledged ourselves, in case of an attack during 
the night upon the town or upon our quarters, to aid 
the citizens or they us, as the case might be. We 
made our preparations for defense, and slept with our 
arms at our sides. Nothing more was heard of the 
robbers. In the vicinity of Tocotes v/e crossed over 
a remarkable mountain. For several hours we were 
ascending by zigzag paths, each turn bringing us 
higher among the clouds. When we had reached the 
summit point, we were several thousand feet above 
many of our companions and all the mules, a distance 
of more than two miles by the road, but in a direct 
line not more than one quarter of a mile, for we could 
distinctly hear the loud talking of the company and 
the shouts of the mule-drivers. We looked over the 
edge of the precipice, and watched our companions as 
they wound their way slowly up. The view was very 
gi'and, though it produced a painful giddiness. Sooiii 
after ascending this mountain, our way led us through 
the crater of an old volcano. There were the pum- 
ice-stone, the scoria, and the charred and blac-kened 
rocks, as though they had but just issued,, boiling and 



EMBARKATION AT SAN BLAS. 39 

"bursting, from the bowels of the earth. We could 
hnagine that we smelt the sulphurous vapor and 
felt the volcanic heat arising from the pent-up fires 
below, so fresh did the whole field of desolation and 
ruin appear. And our imaginations were carried back 
to the fearfully terrific scenes which had been enact- 
ed here. The descent from the table-land jdown to 
the shores of the Pacific is abrupt and steep. On the 
12th of April we reached San Bias, a dull and un- 
healthy sea-port. At this place, our company, which 
had hung together in fragments, was dissolved. Men 
alone are not social beings ; and the numerous at- 
tempts to bind them together in California gold-min- 
ing associations are as vain as the attempt to make a 
rope of sand. 

After some delay in making our preparations, we 
embarked at San Bias on the 12th of April, in the 
San Blasifia, a schooner of twenty-three tons — being 
thirty-six feet long and twelve wide — for San Fran- 
cisco. In this miserable, unseaworthy craft, thirty- 
eight of us took passage. It was represented to us 
that the Pacific was so quiet that it would be safe 
to go up in open boats. Alas for our error I Yet it 
was only too common. In some instances, emigrants, 
in their extreme anxiety to proceed on their way, 
have embarked in whale boats at Panama, hoping to 
reach San Francisco. Our voyage to Mazatlan was 
most disagreeable. We were so cramped for room 
on deck, the hold being filled with bananas, that 
three of us slept in a canoe hewed from a log, which 
w^as made secure on deck. The portion of it which 
I occupied was two and a half feet long and three 



40 MAZATLAN. BULL-FIGHTS. 

and a half wide. There I slept for eight nights. On 
the 20th of April we reached Mazatlan, after having 
been put upon an allowance of water, and the last 
day having no water at all. This is an important 
sea-port and a fine city. Though it possesses no 
public buildings of note, many of the dwelling houses 
are spacious and pleasant. Its fine bathing-ground 
forms its principal attraction. A small and inferior 
chapel is the only place of worship, while the amphi- 
theatre for -^he bull-fights is a spacious inclosure, 
capable of accommodating many hundred persons. 
This " Plaza de los Toros," as it is called, is an am- 
phitheatre covering about one quarter of an acre. 
Around this the seats are arranged in tiers. On one 
side are the pens for the bulls, on the other the eleva- 
ted seat of the manager, fancifully decorated. Large 
show-bills state the number and qualifications of the 
various animals, brute and human, to be brought 
forward, and invite all who are so disposed to be 
present. The Sabbath is generally the day selected 
for the spectacle, and on the morning of that day a 
procession of the valiant and brave, already equip- 
ped for the encounter, and accompanied by martial 
music, parade the streets. During the pauses in the 
music, a crier, in a loud voice, boasts the victories 
they expect to achieve. Many of the spectators are 
females. Nothing but unmingled disgust and loath- 
ing can be excited by the scene. It is a disgraceful 
and cowardly butchery, in which the poor animal has 
not even one chance of defense or escape. 

A great number of Americans were waiting at this 
place for opportunities to go to San Francisco. Many 



EMBARKATION FROM MAZATLAN. 41 

of tliem had exhausted their means, and were ensraof. 
ing in various employments to raise money to take 
them through. 

There are about seven millions of inliabitants in 
Mexico. The rich class are very wealthy, own most 
of the land in the country, and live in palaces in the 
cities. They are few in number. Among them may 
be classed a portion of the priests. The poor class 
constitute the great majority, seldom owning any 
property, and the larger proportion being abjectly 
poor. 

We took our departure from Mazatlan on May 4th, 
having spent two weeks in litigation respecting the 
schooner, which resulted in favor of the passengers, 
and made us, the first time in our lives, ship-owners. 
The whole had been an unfortunate operation, and 
we had already paid more for our passage than the 
schooner was worth. The owners had lost the money 
which had been advanced to them, and were unable 
to comply with the terms of the contract, by putting 
the schooner in sailing order in Mazatlan. Papers 
were accordingly made out, giving us undisputed 
possession of twenty-three tons burden of shipping. 
Our captain, a very old man, had not been to sea for 
twenty years before this memorable voyage. I shall 
presently have to relate an account of the adroit 
manner in which he upset a boat-load of us to pass 
half an hour among the sharks and waves before we 
could get to land. Our mate was a Frenchman, and 
the only skillful sailor among us. He knew that 
we were proceeding on a wrong course, and as it was 
mutiny to put the vessel on a right course by day- 



42 SURFING A BOAT. 

light, as soon as it was dark enough he would put 
the "ship about," so that what we lost in the day 
we gained in the night. The rest of the crew were 
sailors drafted from the passengers. We were again 
short of w^ater, and having been unable to procure a 
supply along the coast, we anchored off San Jose, a 
small town near the cape. The captain requested 
me to accompany him on shore. The waves ran 
very high, and it was dangerous to attempt a land- 
ing, unless under the guidance of one who under- 
stood "surfing a boat." After every third wave 
which breaks upon the shore, there is a lull, short in- 
deed, but of sufficient length to permit a boat which 
follows instantaneously upon it to get beyond the 
reach of the first wave of the next series. The only 
method is to row nearly to the line where the waves 
show a long white crest before they break upon the 
shore, and then to rest upon the oars. As soon as 
the third wave has passed, the rowers must urge the 
boat promptly and vigorously in. If this one rule is 
neglected, the " swamping" of the boat must inevi- 
tably be the result. The captain explained this so 
accurately that we could not doubt his skill. We 
had four stout rowers, breathlessly awaiting the sig- 
nal upon the brink of the breakers. But, unfortu- 
nately, the signal came between the second and third 
waves. We were a hundred yards from the landing. 
Suddenly we heard the warning roar, like the low 
tone of the distant thunder. I looked behind, and 
the wave was moving toward us like an impending 
wall, six feet above the boat. Suddenly it broke, 
showing the white crest rapidly extending itself 



WITH OARS AND SAILS. 43 

along as far as the eye could reach. Its first ap- 
proach tossed the boat, like a straw, on one side, and 
instantly the whole wave came toppling down upon 
us, burying the boat and three of those who were in 
it beneath the rushing tides. I had risen from my 
seat, and the wave struck me many feet toward the 
shore, crushing my hat over my face and eyes, so that 
some moments and several waves passed over me be- 
fore I could again see. "When I was able to look 
around me, the captain and one of my companions 
were swimming for land. The others were clinging 
to the keel of the boat, after having been buried be- 
neath it till they were nearly strangled. Those who 
were swimming were soon on shore, the captain so 
completely exhausted that he sank down into the 
water, and was dragged back to the dry sand. In 
half an hour all were safe on the beach, grateful for so 
remarkable a deliverance. Our danger was greatly 
increased by the fact that the place was infested with 
sharks. The next day, as we were walking along 
the shore, two fish darted out of the water, and 
were instantly followed by two large sharks, which 
pursued them high upon the beach. We made sever- 
al attempts to double the cape and proceed on our 
way, but were driven back each time by heavy head 
winds. In our third attempt we were becalmed, and 
spent the most of the day in rowing our schooner 
along, which we did at the rate of three miles an 
hour. After we had turned in, and were sleeping 
upon some water and provision casks in the hold, 
made level by laying down sticks of wood and boards 
between them, a severe gale sprang up, and drove us 



44 THE SCHOONER ADRIFT. 

at a fearful rate from our course. The sails were 
rent, and flapped wildly in the wind. No one but 
the mate dared to approach them. He was at the 
helm, which he lashed down while he drew in and 
furled the refractory sails. Our danger was great, 
and during the long hours of that night there was 
little sleep among us. Eight, each unknown to the 
others, formed a resolution, that if we lived to reach 
the land, we would never again risk our lives in the 
San Blasina. Near the close of the next day, we 
anchored in a narrow roadstead off the cape. The 
mate and many of the passengers went on shore, 
which was half a mile distant, taking the torn sails 
to he mended. The boat was also hauled up on the 
beach, and turned over to be caulked. It was near 
night of the following day, and we were all scattered 
over the beach and in the village, when alarm guns 
from the schooner arrested our attention. To our 
surprise, the vessel had changed her position, having 
dragged her only anchor. She was already nearly 
two miles distant, those on board having lost much 
time in ineffectual attempts to bring her back to an- 
chorage. By the time the mate and a crew daring 
enough to venture out could be found, she was al- 
most at sea, and already pitching about over the 
waves. Soon a dark, cloudy night obscured the 
schooner and the boat alike from our view. "We 
kindled a large beacon-fire on the beach, and, wrap- 
ping ourselves in our blankets, anxiously awaited 
the return of our companions. In the morning the 
schooner was safely moored near the shore. 

At this place our ship's company was divided, a 



SERVICE ABOARD. 45 

part being determined to proceed on their journey by- 
sea, while another part intended to walk up to San 
Francisco, a distance of twelve hundred miles, over 
a barren country, and uninhabited except by Indians. 
Of these latter, a portion started by an almost imper- 
ceptible path, which led them toward the Atlantic 
coast, while the remaining four of us expected to pro- 
ceed up the gulf coast. As we ascended the hills be- 
hind the village, we caught a last look of the schooner, 
already out some distance at sea. When we reached 
San Jose, to our joy we found the Scottish barque 
Collooney, Capt, Livingston, for San Francisco, an- 
chored there, having put in for water. We were re- 
ceived on board, and on May 25th weighed anchor 
and were again on our way. The Collooney was from 
Panama, having on board two hundred passengers, 
with accommodations for twenty. At the time for 
meals, two assistant stewards, mounted upon the long 
boat near the two galleys, called over the names of 
the passengers belonging to their divisions. As his 
name was called, each one walked up if it was calm, 
and reeled up if it was rough, to the galleys, and re- 
ceived in a tin plate and dipper his allowance. It 
was a tedious voyage of thirty-five days from the cape 
to San Francisco. On several Sundays I was invited 
to preach upon the quarter-deck. On these occasions 
we were sometimes favored with original hymns from 
the pen of T. G-. Spear, of Philadelphia, who was a 
passenger on board. I shall give a part of one of 
these as very appropriate. 

" Our path is on the mighty deep, 
But God is with us there, 



46 ARRIVAL AT SAN FRANCISCO. 

To guard us in the night, asleep, 
And in the noonday's glare. 

Our barque, a speck beneath the sky, 

His hand conveys along ; 
He makes the winds around her fly, 

Be gentle or be strong. 

Here let us pause, and praise, and pray, 

And seek that boon sublime, 
That opens up a brighter day. 

And smooths the storms of time." 

Much of the time was passed in vexatious cahiis. 
We were such a picture as Coleridge had in his mind 
when he wrote, 

*' Day after day, day after day. 

We stuck, nor breath nor motion, 
As idly as a painted ship 
Upon a painted ocean." 

June 25th, 1849, we reached San Francisco, sev- 
enty-four days from San Bias, and one hundred and 
forty-five days from Philadelphia. This wonderful 
city is an uninviting spot. There is but a small strip 
of level land, crowded down to the bay, surrounded 
by high, sandy hills, covered with short bushes, while 
not a tree is to be seen. The city is composed chiefly 
of tents. Each day regularly, at about ten o'clock, 
there arrives in the city, coming down with a rush 
over the bleak and barren hills, a cold, chilling wind, 
which takes one at once from the summer to the win- 
ter solstice. Fires are comfortable, and cloaks or se- 
rapis are necessary. Gambling seems to be universal. 
Eents are held at the most exorbitant prices. I al- 
most fear to risk my credibility by stating that the 
Parker House rents at ^150,000 a year. On the aft- 



EMPLOYMENTS AND AMUSEMENTS. 47 

ernoon of the second day after our arrival, the 27tli 
of June, our luggage being transferred from the Col- 
looney to a river schooner which was taken alongside, 
we " set sail" up the bay. 

We spent the first night at Benicia, anchoring near 
the landing. Taking our blankets, as we would our 
umbrellas at home, we called upon the Rev. Mr. "VV., 
and were introduced by him to a trader, who kindly 
permitted us to sleep in a large unfinished room, 
while in another part of the same room were a party 
consisting of a Mexican master and his peons, on 
their way to the mines. 

June 29th. Arrived at Sacramento City, the present 
of which is under canvas, and the future on paper. 
Every thing is new except the ground, and trees, 
and the stars, beneath a canopy of which we slept. 
Quarreling and cheating form the employments, 
drinking and gambling the amusements, making the 
largest pile of gold the only ambition of the inhabit- 
ants. As each one steps his foot on shore, he seems 
to have entered a magic circle, in which he is under 
the influence of new impulses. The wills of all seem 
under the control of some strong and hidden agen- 
cy. The city is every day newly filled, then emptied 
but to be filled again. The crowd ever presses on, 
elate with hope, excited by expectations, which it 
would be impossible to define or realize. The world- 
renowned Sutter's Fort, which is two miles from the 
landing, is a rude structure made of sun-dried bricks, 
about five hundred feet long and two hundred wide. 
It is now used for other purposes, a part of it being 
fitted up as a hospital. 



48 READY FOR DIGGING. 

July 2(1. "Walked from Sacramento to Mormon 
Island, a distance of twenty-nine miles ; and the next 
day, each one having forty pounds of baggage upon 
his back, consisting of a cradle, tools for mining, pro- 
visions, blankets, &c., walked eight miles farther up 
the south fork of the American River to Salmon Falls, 
there to commence our mining operations. 



AT THE MINES. 49 



CHAPTER III. 



NORTHERN MINES. 



Salmon Falls, South Fork of the American River, ) 
July 4th, 1849. J 

Here we are, at length, in the gold diggings. Seat- 
ed around us, upon the ground, beneath a large oak, 
are a group of wild Indians, from the tribe called 
" Diggers," so named from their living chiefly upon 
roots. These Indians are of medium size, seldom 
more than five feet and eight or ten inches high ; 
are very coarse and indolent in appearance, of a dark 
complexion, with long black hair which comes down 
over the face ; are uncivilized, and possess few of the 
arts of life. They weave a basket of willow so close- 
ly as to hold water, in which they boil their mush, 
made of acorns dried and pounded to a powder, or 
their flour, purchased at some trading tent. You 
will perhaps ask how water can be boiled in a bas- 
ket without the fire's burning it. This is done sim- 
ply by heating stones and putting them into the wa- 
ter, which is thus, in a short time, raised to the boil- 
ing point. They have brought us in some salmon, 
one of which weighs twenty-nine pounds. These 
they spear with great dexterity, and exchange for 
provisions, or clothing, and ornaments of bright col- 
ors. We are surrounded on all sides by high, steep 
mountains, over which are scattered the evergreen 



60 PROSPECTirsG. 

and white oak, and which are inhabited by the wolf 
and bear.^ This will always be to us a memorable 
fourth of July, as being our first day at the mines. 
We have spent the day in ''''prospecting.'''' This 
term, as it designates a very important part of the 
business of mining, requires explanation. I should 
first, however, give some description of the bar upon 
which we are to labor. This lies on both sides the 
river, and is covered with smooth, brassy-looking 
rocks, some of which weigh many tons. It is a lit- 
tle higher than the water-level ; but we find, as we 
dig down, that the water soon begins to flow in, and 
must be "baled out." This bar, or rather succes- 
sion of bars, extends a distance of some miles up 
and down the river, over which the water runs with 
surprising rapidity in the freshets, which are com- 
mon during the rainy reason, and break up and re- 
duce the gold-bearing quartz, tearing it away from 
its primitive bed, robbing it, in its course, of its vir- 
gin gold, and attriting it till it is at length deposit- 
ed, in greater or less abundance, within some crevico 
or some water-worn hollow, or beneath some rock so 
formed as to receive it. These bars vary from a few 
feet to several hundred yards in width. In order to 
find the deposits, the ground must be " prospected." 
A spot is first selected, in the choice of which science 
has little and chance every thing to do. The stones 
and loose upper soil, as also the si^bsoil, almost down 
to the primitive rock, are removed. Upon or near 

* We were induced to come to this place by the accounts we re- 
ceived of the success of two brothers — Jordan — who, in a few 
weeks, made $3000 here, and are now on their way home. 



WASHIJN'G FOR GOLD. 51 

this rock most of the gold is found ; and it is the ob- 
ject, in every mining operation, to reach this, how- 
ever great the labor, and even if it lies forty, eighty, 
or a hundred feet beneath the surface. If, when 
this strata-belt of rock is attained, it is found to pre- 
sent a smooth surface, it may as well be abandoned 
at once ; if soft and friable, or if seamed with crev- 
ices, running at angles with the river, the prospect 
of the miner is favorable. Some of the dirt is then 
put into a pan, and taken to the water, and washed 
out with gi'eat care. The miner stoops down by the 
stream, choosing a place where there is the least cur- 
rent, and, dipping a quantity of water into the pan 
with the dirt, stirs it about with his hands, washing 
and throwing out the large pebbles, till the dirt is 
thoroughly wet. More water is then taken into the 
pan, and the whole mass is well stirred and shaken, 
and the top gravel thrown off with the fingers, while 
the gold, being heavier, sinks deeper into the pan. 
It is then shaken about, more water being continu- 
ally added, and thrown off with a sideway motion, 
which carries with it the dirt at the top, while the 
gold settles yet lower down. It must be often stir- 
red with the hands to prevent '' baking," as the hard- 
ening of the mud at the bottom is called. When the 
dirt is nearly washed out, great care is requisite to 
prevent the lighter scales of gold from being washed 
out with the magnetic sand, w^hich is best done by 
pushing back the gold, and cleaning the sand from 
the edge of the pan with the thumb. At length a 
ridge of gold scales, mixed with a little sand, remains 
in the pan. from the quantity of which some esti- 



52 INDIf^FERENT SUCCESS. 

mate may be formed of the richness of the place. If 
there are five to eight grains, it is considered that 
''it will pay." If less gold is found, the miner digs 
deeper or opens a new hole, till he finds a place af- 
fording a good prospect. When this is done, he sets 
his cradle by the side of the stream, in some conven- 
ient place, and proceeds to wash all the dirt. This 
is aptly named prospecting, and is the hardest part 
of a miner's business. Thus have we been employ- 
ed the whole of this day, digging one hole after an- 
other — washing out many test-pans — hoping, at ev- 
ery new attempt, to find that which would reward 
our toil, and we have made ten cents each. 

July 5th. My share to-day is fl 25. These de- 
tails may appear dull and uninteresting ; but the 
reader will bear in mind that it is the writer's object 
to give a full and true description of a miner's life. 
He might pass by all the days and months of profit- 
less labor, and record only the days of success ; but 
those who have friends at the mines, and those who 
purpose going there, will certainly wish to know 
what are the trials and discouragements of such a 
life. They wish to know the truth. 

July 6th. We have to-day removed to the opposite 
side of the river. This, with pitching our tent, has 
occupied most of the day. Still, we have made $4 
each. I have been seated for several hours by the 
river side, rocking a heavy cradle filled with dirt and 
stones. The working of a cradle requires from three 
to five persons, according to the character of the dig- 
gings. If there is much of the auriferous dirt, and 
it is easily obtained, three are sufficient ; but if there 



THE CRADLE. 53 

is little soil, and this found in crevices, so as only to 
be obtained with the knife, five or more can be em- 
ployed in keeping the cradle in operation. One of 
these gives his whole attention to working the cra- 
dle, and another takes the du't to be washed, in pans 
or buckets, from the hole to the cradle, while one or 
two others supply the buckets. The cradle, so call- 
ed from its general resemblance to that article of fur- 
niture, has two rockers, which move easily back and 
forth in two grooves of a frame, which is laid down 
firmly on the edge of or over the water, so that the 
person working it may at the same time dip up the 
water. It must be inclined a few degrees forward, 
that the dirt may be washed gradually out, and must 
be so placed that the mud may be carried off with the 
stream. Gleets are nailed across the bottom of the 
body, over which the loose dirt passes with the wa- 
ter, and behind which the magnetic sand and gold 
settle. An apron is placed beneath the hopper, and 
conducts the water, dirt, &c., from that to the body 
below — a construction similar to that of the common 
fanning-mill. The hopper, which is placed at the 
top of the cradle behind, is a box, the bottom of which 
is a sheet of tin, zinc, or sheet iron, perforated with 
holes from the size of a gold dollar up to that of a 
quarter eagle. Through* these the dirt, gravel, and 
gold are all carried by the water upon the apron and 
into the body below, leaving only the pebbles, too 
large to be passed through, in the hopper, which are 
thrown out by raising it in the hands, and by a sud- 
den forward, then backward motion, depositing them 
on one side in a heap. To facilitate this operation, 



54 ROCKING THE CRADLE. 

the liopper is sometimes made with hinges, by wliich 
means, by the raising the forward end, the dirt falls 
over behind. There is generally a handle, so placed 
on one side that the cradle may be rocked with the 
left hand, leaving it to the choice of the person rock- 
ing whether to stand or sit while at work. The dirt 
taken from the hole is turned into the hopper at the 
top. The person, rocking the cradle with his left 
hand, at the same time uses his right in dipping up 
continually ladles of water, which he dashes upon 
the dirt in the hopper. Twenty-five buckets of dirt 
are generally washed through, the mass in the body 
of the cradle being occasionally stirred up to prevent 
its hardening, and thus causing the gold to slide over 
it and be lost. It is then drawn off into a pan 
through holes at the bottom of the cradle, and "pan- 
ned out," or washed, in the same way as in pros- 
pecting. While this is being done by one of the 
company, it is common for the others to spend the 
ten minutes' interval in resting themselves. Seated 
upon the rocks about their companion, they watch 
the ridge of gold as it dimples brightly up amid the 
black sand, seeming to m'e always the smile of hope, 
while many enlivening remarks and the cheering 
laugh go round. At length, the washing completed, 
the pan passes from one to another, while each one 
gives his opinion as to the quantity. The holes in 
the bottom of the cradle are stopped, more dirt is 
thrown into the hopper, and again the grating, scrap- 
ing sounds are heard which are peculiar to the rock- 
ing of the cradle, and which, years hence, will accom- 
pany our dreams of the mines. 



REMARKABLE SUCCESS. 55 

July 7th. This morning witnessed an instance 
of that remarkable success in mining which rarely 
occurs, but which, when it takes place, turns the 
heads of so many. I might aptly quote Virgil's fig- 
urative description of Rumor, and apply it to these 
gold stories. They go out quite respectable in ap- 
pearance, furnished with, hat and cane at the start, 
but, as they proceed, they suddenly e^jipand to the 
proportions of Hercules, with his trunk of a tree for 
a club. We met this story long afterward, after it 
had returned from its voyage to the States and to 
Europe, and, but for its having claimed Salmon 
Falls as its birth-place, it could not have been recog- 
nized at all. The facts were simply these : Two 
Irishmen followed the " lead" of the Jordan brothers,- 
who had made their gold by penetrating into a bank 
which had evidently been detached from the mount- 
ains behind in some convulsion of nature, and push- 
ed forward over the bar. They commenced in the 
bank at the edge of the bar, and when they reached 
the line in which the Jordans had found their vein, 
they were so fortunate as to find it again. This 
vein is about seven inches wide, and ten feet below 
the surface of the bank, and is imbedded in a stra- 
tum of hard clay, through which the fine scale gold 
is richly sprinkled. The vein runs, in a compact 
body, diagonally across the claims which have been 
and are being " worked out," and so on, in a straight 
line, to the 6dge of the bar, where it is broken, scat- 
tered, and lost by its descent. At this remarkable 
place, these two men, before breakfast this morning, 
took out $422. As I witnessed their success, for we 



56 DAY OF REST. 

are working within thi'ee yards of them, and when I 
held a large bottle, nearly full of the beautiful gold, 
in my hands, I was at first conscious of feelings of 
elation and hope. This has given place, this even- 
ing, to temporary despondency, for I have been com- 
pelled to contrast our own small operations with their 
brilliant success. Poor Jemmie, one of these Irish- 
men, and who had never before been the owner of a 
sovereign, said to me to-day, " Every body is talking 
about my good luck, but, I don't know how it is, I 
can't feel so ; and, faith, I think a sovereign looks 
to we more I^'' Our company have been engaged to- 
day in "prospecting," and preparing for work. The 
last washings, near night, gave us fifty cents to the 
pan, which is considered encouraging. 

July 8th, Sunday. All the miners upon the Bar, 
with the exception of one man, who is working by 
himself below, have laid aside their labors for the day. 
This is, partly at least, owing to a regard for its sa- 
credness. And when may we be so much sustained 
by the encouragements, cheered by the promises, or 
influenced by the restraints of religion, as in the cir- 
cumstances in which we are now placed ? Religion 
— Heaven's most precious gift to man — comes and of- 
fers to lead us, and to be with us in all our weary ex- 
ile from home. 

July 9th. To-day we have made ^20 each. One 
of the conclusions at which we are rapidly arriving 
is, that the chances of our making a fortune in the 
gold mines are about the same as those in favor of 
our drawing a prize in a lottery. No kind of work 
is so uncertain. A miner may happen upon a good 



LIFE IN THE MINES. 57 

location in liis very first attempt, and in a very few 
days make his hundreds or thousands, while the old 
miners about him may do nothing. Two foreigners, 
who had been some time in the mines, began to work 
their respective claims, leavmg a small space between 
them. The question arose to which of them this 
space belonged. As they could not amicably settle 
the dispute, they agi'ced to leave it to the decision of 
an American who happened by, and who had not yet 
done an hour's work in the mines. He measured off 
ten feet — which is allowed by custom — to each of the 
claimants, taking for his trouble the narrow strip of 
land lying between them. In a few hours, the larger 
claims, belonging to the old miners, were abandoned 
as useless, while the new miner discovered a deposit 
which yielded him ^7435. 

July 10th. We made ^3 each to-day. This life 
of severe hardship and exposure has affected my 
health. Our diet consists of hard bread, flour, which 
we eat half cooked, and salt pork, with occasionally 
a salmon which we purchase of the Indians. Yege- 
tables are not to be procured. Our feet are wet all 
day, while a hot sun shines down upon our heads, 
and the very air parches the skin like the hot air of 
an oven. Our drinking water comes down to us 
thoroughly impregnated with the mineral substances 
washed through the thousand cradles above us. After 
our days of labor, exhausted and faint, we I'etire — 
if this word may be applied to the simple act of ly- 
ing down in our clothes — robbing our feet of their 
boots to make a pillow of them, and wrapping our 
blankets about us, on a bed of pine bousfhs, or on the 
C 2 



58 



SICKNESS. 



ground, beneath the clear, bright stars of night. Near 
morning there is always a change in the temperature 
of the air, and several blankets become necessary. 
Then the feet and the hands of the novice in this 
business become blistered and lame, and the limbs 
are stiff. Besides all these causes of sickness, the 
anxieties and cares which wear away the life of so 
many men who leave their families to come to this 
land of gold, contribute, in no small degree, to this 
same result. It may with truth be said, " the whole 
head is sick, and the whole heart faint." I have to- 
day removed to the top of the hill above the encamp- 
ment, and beneath a large oak-tree, for the benefit 
of a cooler air and shade durinsr the intense heat of 



noon. 



Aug. 20th. After my last date I was prostrated at 
once by the acclimating disease of the country, and 
rendered as helpless as a child. All day and all night 
long I was alone under my oak, and without those 
kind attentions so necessary in sickness, and which 
can not be had here. I was reduced to a very low 
state, with but little hope, under the circumstances, 
of recovery. It did seem hard to lie down to die 
there, and to think that I was no more to see my be- 
loved family. Yet I feared not to die. Indeed, I 
marked off the spot under the oak where my grave 
should be, and prayed for submission to Grod's right- 
eous will, and that his love would protect and bless 
those dear to me. 

The lines of an Englishman, addressed, as he w^as 
dying at the mines, 'Ho a gold coin," vividly described 
my feelings at that time : 



ONE OF nature's NOBLEMEN. 59 

" For thee, for thee, vile yellow slave, 

I left a heart that loved me true ! 
I crossed the tedious ocean-wave, 

To roam in climes unkind and new. 
The cold wind of the stranger blew 

Chill on my withered heart — the grave 
Dark and untimely met my view — 

And all for thee, vile yellow slave !" 

At this critical time, a gentleman from New Or- 
leans, hearing of my case, came up to see me, and 
gave me a few pills, which, fortunately, he had with 
him. They checked the disease, and after a few 
hours I could eat a bird shot and cooked for me by 
a kind friend. Not soon shall I forget this noble- 
hearted friend, B. Rough as a grisly bear, he was 
yet one of nature's noblemen. At home he filled, at 
one time, the office of sheriff. He said that the office 
cost him too much, and was making him poor. If 
he was sent to seize a destitute woman's effects for 
rent, he would be sure to pay that rent, and then 
would send her a bag of flour from his own farm. 
Thus we learn that many of the most valuable traits 
of character and excellencies of heart lie, like the 
purest gold, concealed beneath a rough surface. 

Not thinking it best, in the feeble state of my 
health, to return to mining immediately, as soon as 
I was strong enough, with my blankets upon my 
back, I walked to " Sutter's Mill," now named Colo- 
ma. When I first reached the country, a school had 
been offered me in this place at a stipulated compen- 
sation of ^16 a day. After spending a few days 
with Mr. W., one of the two who discovered the first 
gold, while engaged in digging a mill-race for Mr. 



60 



PROSPECTIP^G AGAIN. 



Sutter, a spot now regarded with peculiar interest, 
my health was so much improved that I concluded 
to return to the mines. 

On reaching Salmon Falls, to my surprise I found 
Mr. C, a French gentleman, and who had formerly 
had the charge of the French classes in my semina- 
ry, and who was now waiting to invite me to join 
himself and a friend, a dentist from Philadelphia, in 
a prospecting tour upon the north and middle forks. 
We spent two weeks in this exploring tour, and on. 
our return to Salmon Falls spent several days in 
mining there. When all our expenses were paid 
and a dividend made, we had $2 each, the result of 
three weeks of hard toil. 

Hearing of good diggings at Weaver's Creek, I 
proposed to my companions to go over, and, after 
prospecting, send them word. One of them accom- 
panied me on my way as far as Coloma. As he was 
leaving me to return, after spending the night to- 
gether in an emigrant's wagon we found by the road- 
side, a miner who had just arrived, after a long and 
dangerous journey across the plains, rode up to me. 
He told me he was without money, and without pro- 
visions or tools for mining, having exhausted his 
means on his long journey. This miner, named W., 
had been a Texas Ranger. When he told me his 
condition, I went with him into Coloma, and suc- 
ceeded in procuring all he wanted on a credit of a 
few days. He manifested his gratitude by offering 
to pack my provisions with his own upon his mule, 
and to accompany me wherever I was going. After 
traveling three miles, we stopped under a tree to 



AT WORK ONCE MORE. 61 

cook slap-jacks — a fried batter — and pork, and wait 
for the cool of the evening. About four o'clock we 
again started for the diggings on Weaver's Creek, 
five miles distant. Taking the wrong trail, we lost 
our way, and wandered on six miles till it was too 
dark to see the path. We were in a wild gorge of 
the mountain, hungry and tired, with no means of 
kindling a fire, and my feet badly blistered. But 
our most serious want was that of water, our thirst 
having become intolerable. We tied a rope to the 
neck of our mule, keeping one end of it in our hands, 
hoping that his instinct would lead him to water ; 
but we were disappointed ; and hungry, thirsty, and 
tired, we laid us down where we could feel a place 
in the dark which was smooth enough. 

In the morning we found, to our surprise, that we 
had been sleeping in the middle of the road, and 
within a few yards of us was a fine spring of water. 
Yesterday morning we reached Weaver's Creek, and, 
after prospecting some hours, located ourselves on 
the spot where we now are at work, with some good 
prospect of success. Just below us is a Georgia 
miner, who showed me to-day nine pounds of gold 
he made last week with the assistance of two hired 
men. The mountains here are very precipitous and 
abrupt, hanging over our heads in wild grandeur. 
The creek is only accessible through wild ravines 
and over steep mountains. Owing to their great 
depth, and their being shut up on all sides by mount- 
ains so lofty that the sun rises two hours later, and 
sets two hours earlier than upon the plains, the heat 
is most intense. We have spent our first day in 



62 HOPES AND DISAITOINTMENTS. 

making preparations for our work. AV. is now put- 
ting up a brush arbor, to guard us more effectually 
ao-ainst the heat of the sun. Beneath the same laro-e 

O a 

and wide-spreading tree are two other companies of 
miners. In one of these companies is a Missourian, 
shivering beneath the hot sun with a violent attack 
of fever and ague. For several days I have remon- 
strated with him against going into the cold water 
when heated, and standing there while washing out 
the gold. To-day he became much heated, and in 
this state repeated the experiment, and in ten min- 
utes was seen creeping into his blankets. In a little 
time he sent for me. His look was very wild and 
wandering as I went to his side, and he said, look- 
ing up shivering into the tree above him, " "Woods, 
if you don't remove this tree, my fever never will 
break." 

"Weaver's Creek, Aug. 21st. Our mining company 
has been to-day increased, two others having joined 
us, making our number five. One of these has been 
engaged in walling in a spring where we obtain our 
drinking-water — another is making a cradle. The 
others have been employed in removing the stones 
and top soil, and carrying the auriferous dirt on hand- 
barrows, made of hides, down to the edge of the wa- 
ter, ready to be washed. From every indication, we 
have " struck a rich lead." "We find much gold on 
the rocks : on one I counted twenty-five scales. 

Aug. 22d. We have finished our cradle, and wash- 
ed a little dirt this forenoon, which yielded us about 
^10 in all. Our hopes are bright for the morrow. 

Aug. 23d. How is ''the gold become dim !" After 



■J 



DISCOURAGEMEKTS. 63 

all our preparations and hopes, our toil early and late, 
toil of the most laborious kind, digging down in the 
channel of the river till the water was up to our 
knees, giving ourselves barely time to eat, we have 
made but ^4 each. We sat down upon the rocks, 
and looked at the small ridge of gold in the pan, and 
then at each other. One fell to swearing, another to 
laughing ; I tried to say some encouraging things. 
Our way indeed is dark, and great are our difficul- 
ties, and oft-repeated our failures, and we experience 
the bitterness of the "hope deferred which maketh 
the heart sick," but our motto must be press on. 
The motives which induced us to come here were 
good — our object is good — then, trusting in G-od's 
merciful providence, let us persevere. 

One young man near us has just died. He was 
without companion or friend — alone in his tent. 
Not even his name could be discovered. "We buried 
him, tied down his tent, leaving his effects within. 
Thus is a home made doubly desolate. Years will 
pass, and that loved son, or brother, or husband still 
be expected, and the question still repeated. Why 
don't he come ? Right below me, upon a root of our 
wide-spreading oak, is seated an old man of three- 
score and ten years. He left a wife and seven chil- 
dren at home, whose memory he cherishes with a 
kind of devotion unheard of before. He says when 
he is home-sick he can not cry, but it makes him 
sick at his stomach. He is an industrious old man, 
but has not made enough to buy his provisions, and 
we have given him a helping hand. Is it surprising 
that many fly to gambling, and more to drink, to 



64 RETURN TO SALMON FALLS. 

drown their disappointments ? To-day I have weigh- 
ed my little store of gold, after paying all expenses, 
and find it amounts, after over six weeks of hard 
labor, to $35. 

Aug. 25th. Yesterday I returned to Salmon Falls, 
and am again encamped heneath the old oak upon 
the hill, Mr. C. and his friend being with me. They 
have slung their hammocks up among the branch- 
es, where they sleep comfortably, protected from the 
ants and vermin. My bed is, as usual, upon the 
ground, where even my night-bag does not guard me 
from the annoying attacks of the ants and lizards. 
Last night, after I had fallen asleep, my companions 
were aroused by hearing a ciote barking near us, and 
soon they saw him come and smell of my hands and 
face, seeming to doubt whether he could take a bite 
without being detected. 

A company of nineteen have just commenced dam- 
ming the river at the head of an island above the 
falls, nearly a mile in length, by which they expect 
to lay bare the channel, on one side, the whole length 
of the island. The proceedings of a meeting of the 
company to-day, with reference to my admission, 
were truly Californian. It was first resolved that I 
should be admitted, and then, as they had been at 
work two days, that I should furnish the company 
five bottles of brandy as the condition of my mem- 
bership. The brandy was bought and drank, and 
then a committee waited upon me to notify me that 
I was a member, and that the trader had furnished 
them brandy to the amount of $10 on my account. 
As they knew that there was no other way by which 



MISTAKES ABOUT THE MINES. 65 

they could obtain a '^ treat" from me, it was bought 
and drank before I was informed of the transaction. 

On my way from Weaver's Creek yesterday, I 
made the acquaintance of an intelligent gentleman 
from Washington City, who had held there a profit- 
able office under government, and had left a family 
behind him. He came hoping to better a good con- 
dition. A, few days labor in the mines was sufficient 
to convince him that it would have been better to 
" let well enough alone." His is not a solitary case. 
The mines are full of such. The wonderful instances 
of success which those at home are made to believe 
are common, are about in the proportion of one to a 
thousand. Of the nine hundred and ninety-nine cases 
of failure, or at least of limited success, those at a 
distance know nothing — nothing of the privations 
and discouragements, trials, dangers, and deaths. 

Aug. 26th. On my way to the place for preaching 
to-day, I stepped into a hornet's nest, and was badly 
stung on my hand. These hornets, called " yellow 
jackets," live around and in our tents, and share our 
provisions. I have had twenty of them on my plate 
at once. My hand was much swollen, and I feared 
I should be unable to fulfill my engagement with the 
company by preaching to them. The kindness of 
the wife of one of the miners, who brought a bottle 
of hartshorn from the tent, and bathed my hand with 
it, soon relieved me. Our church was " Grod's first 
temple." My audience were seated upon the grass 
on the river bank, beneath a cluster of pine trees. 
There they were, from all the states — from Europe, 
from Africa, from Oceanica. Such hours of worship 



66 MANNER OF SPENDING SUNDAY. 

on Grod's holy day, spent with my minmg compan- 
ions, or with some beloved Christian brother who 
remained " steadfast, unmoveable" in his integrity 
amid the corrupting vices of the mines, will never 
be forgotten. When we could not walk to the house 
of G-od in company, we sometimes walked upon the 
mountains, and there together sang the songs of 
Zion, and prayed to the Father ever merciful and 
good in a strange land. I take pleasure in recalling 
to my mind such a noble-hearted Christian, who had 
devoted one fourth of all his anticipated earnings in 
California to religious charities. It was my pleas- 
ure afterward, when in San Francisco, to send him, 
through the Secretary of the American Bible Society, 
a quantity of Bibles, hymn-books, and sermons, his 
purpose being to form a Bible class among the "mi- 
ners. He wished them to be sent as early as possi- 
ble, as "he hoped," he said, "to get possession of 
the ground, and thus keep out the gambling table 
and the brandy bottle." 

Sept. 3d. We are yet at work throwing a dam over 
the river. It would be thought, from the manner in 
which some members of the company talk about 
what they " know must be" in the channel of the 
river, that they expect to do no more work after this. 
A perfect Mohammedan heaven, with its tree bearing 
every luxury, its beautiful treasures, its arbors where 
no care or trouble exist, seem ready to be revealed 
as soon as the water which curtains them over shall 
be drawn aside. An interesting incident occurred 
to-day. A young Englishman in our company, from 
the Society Islands, was returning to his tent during 



MEETING OF TWO BROTHERS. 67 

the interval at noon for lunch and rest. On his way, 
one of the many strangers he met inquired the way 
to certain mines below. From this they fell into a 
conversation upon some indifferent topic, and both 
being wearied, they sat down, side by side, upon a 
rock, little thinking what an interesting and beauti- 
ful revelation was about to be made to them. In the 
conversation, one incidentally inquired of the other 
where he was from. " From the Society Islands," 
was the reply. With an awakened interest in his 
manner, he inquired, ''Which island?" "Tahiti," 
was the answer. He looked into the face of the 
other with a searching gaze, and with deep emotion 
inquired, "What is your name?" " H.," he said. 
''''You are my brother V And they were locked in 
each other's arms. There they are, on the bar below 
me, walking arm in arm, and conversing with intense 
interest. I afterward learned more of these brothers 
from a lady, whose father was the first missionary 
to Tahiti. 

Sept. 8th. Our damming operation has been an en- 
tire failure. We spent many days in constructing 
the dam, which, when completed, drained a large 
portion of the river. When this was done, we thor- 
oughly prospected the whole, and found nothing. The 
banks and bars of the river were rich in some places, 
but there was not a grain of gold in the channel. 

Sept. 9th. Attended preaching at Mormon Island 
to-day. Being late out, I called to spend the night 
with a company of gentlemen from Cincinnati, who 
are encamped in a solitary place some two miles be- 
low Salmon Falls, upon the river. We had just fin- 



68 REPORTS, LABORS, AND DANGERS. 

ished our supper an hour since, during which they 
were relating to me some difficulties they had with 
the Indians, who had stolen $200 from them. After 
this theft, and the measures which had been resorted 
to for the recovery of the money, the Indians would 
frequently come after dark and throw stones across 
the river into their camp. 

Sept. 15th. Upon a bar above our dam some mi- 
ners lately met with some success. Rumors of this 
success, but much exaggerated, were circulated. 
Ounces were reported pounds. The change at once 
was magical. Trading tents, the signs of rival phy- 
sicians, eating and gambling booths have sprung up, 
and the noise and confusion of a large village are 
heard. More than a hundred men are at work upon 
the bar. The auriferous dirt iiiust be taken a quar- 
ter of a mile to the river to be washed. Some do this 
by packing the dirt in bags upon mules, and some 
pack this upon their own backs. One company, from 
Hartford, gave us a surprise this morning. They had 
with them a quantity of hose, and by this means 
brought the water from the river upon the bar, thus 
saving the labor of packing the dirt. The gold is 
chiefly found in one vein, running in nearly a direct 
line at right angles to the river. The few who have 
found this vein have done comparatively well. All 
the rest " spend their labor for that which is not 
bread." A company of Cincinnati miners have in- 
vited me to work with them a "claim" upon this 
bar. They have just told me that the Indians came 
last night in large numbers, and made an attack 
upon their camp, which they were compelled to 



MOURNFUL DEATH. 69 

abandon at midnight, and, swimming the river, to 
take refuge with a company of New York miners. 

Sept. 18th. There is hut little dirt upon this bar, 
and it is now regarded as " worked out," and the 
miners are leaving as fast as they came. Our com- 
pany have made upon the bar $65 each. I have 
been now three months in the mines, and have made 
$390. There is much sickness here. One half of 
the whole population are sick. I have to-day been 
informed of the mournful death of a merchant from 
Philadelphia, a fellow- voyager from Cape San Lucas. 
He was the object of anxious solicitude to his friends 
soon after his arrival at San Francisco. He had 
come on with bright hopes, which were sadly disap- 
pointed. To drown his sorrows and disappointments, 
he had given himself up to drink. Many times had 
they expostulated with him, but in vain. He died 
at San Francisco. 

Sept. 30th. Left Salmon Falls on Wednesday last 
for San Francisco. My object in taking this jour- 
ney was to get my letters from home. On my ar- 
rival in the country I had received letters, but it is 
now five months since my last were dated. My anx- 
iety to hear from my family had become very great. 
A friend offered me the use of a vicious mule for the 
journey to Sacramento. No bridle could be borrow- 
ed, and, besides, I was to be mounted upon a pack- 
saddle without stirrups. Imagine me, then, as thus 
starting off, my hair and beard of truly patriarchal 
length, all unshorn and unshaven. Such superflu- 
ities as coat, vest, collar, cravat, &c., were only re- 
membered with the other comforts once enjoyed. 



70 



JulKAEV TO SA-\ FIIA.XCISCO. 



My red flannel garments gave me a rather Avarlike 
appearance. Thus habited and mounted, a rope's 
end was tied around my mule's neck, which passed 
in a running noose over his nose, while I checked 
his movements by the other end, which I held in my 
hand. He did his best several times to run with 
me and to throw me, and my companions enjoyed 
their sport at my expense. The mule had a most 
ludicrous way of throwing up his head and braying 
as he was about starting to run. From this circum- 
stance I named him " Roaring Lion." They were 
compelled to acknowledge that in these trials of 
strength I had the "upper hand." 

At Sacramento I inquired for a bag of clothing 
which I supposed had been stored in the place, and, 
after a long search, it was pointed out to me hang- 
ing in a tree-top in the town. The friend with 
whom I left it in charge to store had put his own 
clothing in it, and, to avoid paying the exorbitant 
price charged for storage, had deposited it where 
found. On reaching San Francisco, after a tedious 
voyage of five days, I hastened at once to the office 
of Livingston & Co. to get my letters. When I in- 
quired for them, I was told there were a number for 
me, but, on looking for them, it was found that they 
had been forwarded, only the day before, to the mines. 
My disappointment was great. All the other pri- 
vations and trials to which T had been subject were 
truly light compared with this. But, like them all, 
it had this good effect : it led me to set a higher 
and more true estimate upon the blessings of our na- 
tive land. How priceless, when thus deprived of 



AT SAN FRANCISCO. /i 

them, become our homes — better than fine gold ! On 
turnmg a^Yay from the office, oppressed with anxie- 
ty and disappoinment, I was walking slowly up the 
street, when the lively notes of a piano struck my 
ear. I stopped to listen. It was a favorite home 
song — "We have lived and loved together." My 
feelings were moved with emotions of inexpressible 
tenderness and sorrow. 

San Francisco, Oct. 19th. Have spent nearly three 
weeks in this city, waiting for letters. Col. Moore, 
post-master, kindly interested himself in the recall 
of those sent to the mountains, but they have not 
been received. Two mail steamers have arrived 
since I have been here, and, though tlii'ee mails were 
due, have brought none. Not only one gulf, but 
parts of two oceans and one continent, are between 
me and my family, while the only comfort which 
reaches me is the thought that those I love are un- 
der the protecting care of an Almighty Friend. 

There is much sickness now in this city. Many 
come down sick from the mines. The situation of 
such is desperate indeed. There is a heartless uncon- 
cern in the community generally to the sufferings and 
wants of the many who are dying wretched deaths 
in the midst of them. It may not, perhaps, be possi- 
ble that it should be otherwise. Every man is too 
much occupied with his own concerns to be able to 
search out objects of charity ; and there are so many 
such cases constantly recurring, as to induce a feel- 
ing of indifference, the result of familiarity with the 
sufferings of others. I was present at a religious 
meeting when this subject was mentioned, and means 



72 SICKNESS AND UNHAPPY DEATHS. 

were suggested for some systematic and efficient 
relief. Some cases were related which called for 
immediate aid. The case of one young man, in par- 
ticular, awakened my sympathy, and I devoted the 
next forenoon to an effort to find him. I was at 
length directed to a large open lot bordering upon 
the shore, and covered with bales, boxes, and barrels 
of goods of all descriptions. After walking up and 
down over this lot, I could discover no object of dis- 
tress, or no place where he could have found a rest- 
ing-place, and gave up the pursuit. Three days 
afterward, as I was standing at the door of a store 
opposite this lot, a small crowd gathered there, and 
were looking at some object with intense interest. 
I crossed over, and there, beneath a hide stretched 
over two boxes, and crouched down between these 
boxes, was the corpse of the poor man I had sought, 
who had died there unfriended and alone. His head 
was leaning upon his hand, placed upon an edge of 
the box. No one could have supposed that a human 
body was concealed there. I had twice passed by 
that very spot in my search for him. The least 
groan could have been heard from the street. At 
the religious meeting I have mentioned, held beneath 
the tent chapel of the Presbyterian church, it was 
stated that there had been lately twelve cases of sui- 
cide in San Francisco. Yesterday a young man 
from New England left his tent in "Happy Val- 
ley," and went to a retired place, untied his cravat 
and hung it upon the bushes, took a razor from its 
case, and put the case upon his cravat, and then 
deliberately cut his own throat, Pecuniary losses, 
it is supposed, wzs tli3 cause. 



AFFAIRS AT SAN FRANCISCO. 73 

The house in which I have passed my time since 
I came to the city is one occupied hy Rev. Mr. W., 
in the suburbs — soon to he the heart of the city. 
Across the street from us are some canvas tents, and 
below these a shed-house, in which is kept a restau- 
rant; then comes a house made of hides stretched 
over a frame, and still lower down are more tents, 
adobe and frame houses, containing men, women, 
and children from all parts of the world. And there 
below me extends, far away, the noble bay, covered 
with its ships from all nations, to which new ar- 
rivals are daily added. Throngs of people, horses, 
wagons, oxen, carts, and mules, are ever passing. 
And this moment there goes toward the " Presidio" 
a heavy piece of ordnance. Here follow two merry 
young Americans on horseback, each with a gayly- 
dressed signorita before him, both without bonnets, 
and laughing merrily ; and hear those glad and hap- 
py shouts of children ! Stretched away before me 
is the world of San Francisco — and what a world ! 
How the tide of human life flows and dashes upon 
its shores ! Crowds every day arrive, and other 
crowds every day leave. Old friends meet, exchange 
a few words, and hasten on to the shrine of Mam- 
mon. Multitudes die, the waves close over them, 
and they are forgotten. It can hardly be supposed 
that people come to California to live, since they are 
here only preparing to live — much less do they come 
here to die. I pray that my life may be spared till, 
I return to a land of friends, and where man is 
united to man by the sympathies of life ! 

The indifference of a class of the population here 
D 



74 GAMBLING TABLE!?. 

even to the lives of others, was illustrated by the 
grave-digger, who has generally to dig eight or more 
graves in a day, but yesterday only having three 
ordered, he cursed the Yankees for cheating him out 
of half his day's earnings. 

Last evening I walked around to about fifty of the 
gambling tables. A volume could not describe their 
splendor or their fatal attractions. The halls them- 
selves are vast and magnificent, spread over with 
tables and implements for gambling. The pictures 
which decorate them no pen of mine shall describe. 
The bar-rooms are furnished with the most expensive 
liquors, no care or attention being spared in the com- 
pounding and coloring of them. The music is per- 
formed often by professors, and is of the best kind. 
The tables are sometimes graced, or disgraced, by 
females, who came at first masked, and who are em- 
ployed to deal the cards, or who come to play on their 
own account. " The Bank" consists of a solid pile 
of silver coin, surmounted by the golden currency of 
as many countries as there are dupes about the table. 
Often a sack or two of bullion, which has cost the 
poor miner months of labor, is placed upon the top of 
all. Sufficient money to send one home independent 
changed owners during my short stay. A boy of ten 
years came to one of the tables with a few dollars. 
His " run of luck" was surprising, and to him be- 
wildering. In ten minutes he was the owner of a 
pile of silver, with some gold. In one minute more 
he was without a dollar. Thinking by one turn of 
the cards to double his profits, he lost the whole. 
The instances of great good luck on the part of the 



GAxMBLING. 75 

players are very rare. But they sometimes occur. 
A lawyer of this city recently swept three tables in 
one evening. A young man came from the States in 
one of the last steamers, and was preparing to go to 
the mines. He borrowed ten dollars, and went to one 
of the faro banks. During the night and a part of 
the next forenoon, he had won $7000, when he made 
a resolution never to play more, and returned home 
in the next steamer. Mr. Davidson, the agent of the 
Rothschilds, says that some of the professed gamblers 
send home by him to England the average sum of 
$17,000 a month. Many tricks are resorted to in or- 
der to bring persons to the table. An eye-witness 
assures me that he has seen the president of the bank 
slip secretly into the hand of some one, employed for 
the purpose of decoying others, a quantity of coin. 
On receiving this, he would leave the room, but soon 
return, and present himself in a noisy manner at the 
table, and boldly "plank down" the very money he 
had received. In five minutes the table would be 
surrounded by eager players. 

There are but few women yet in California. Sev- 
eral merchants, and others who intend to spend some 
years in the country, send for their families. But the 
situation of these ladies is not the most comfortable, 
owing to the want of society, and to the utter impos- 
sibility of procuring servants in the family. By the 
death of their husbands, the condition of the wives 
would be pitiable, though there seem to be enough 
who would persuade them to change their solitary 
life as soon as possible. A lady now in this city, 
soon after her arrival here lost her husband. Before 



76 PRICE OF LABOR AND PROVISIONS. 

he had been dead a week, she received three proposals 
of marriage. 

The price of labor is yet very high, though not as 
high as it was in the spring. Good carpenters and 
masons command their $8 a day. The citizens fre- 
quently send their clothes to the Sandwich and So- 
ciety Islands, and even to Valparaiso, and other places 
on the coast, to be washed, to avoid the great expense 
for washing here. All kinds of goods are lower than 
they were a few months since. Coal, which was 
$100, is now $9 a ton. Vegetables have fallen from 
$1 to 25 cts. a lb. Eggs maintain their high price, 
selling at f 20 a dozen. 

After much inquiry, we have determined to go, for 
our next mining season, to the southern mines. "We 
are led to this determination chiefly on account of 
the better health enjoyed there. 



CALAMITIES ON THE AVAY. 77 



CHAPTER lY. 



SOUTHERN MINES. 



Having made our preparations, and engaged pas- 
sage on board a schooner for Stockton, on the 19th 
day of October we started. Our company was made 
up chiefly of young gentlemen from Boston. Our sail 
up the bays and the San Joaquin River was accom- 
plished in six days. We furnished our own provis- 
ions, which, owing to the length of our journey, 
proved insufficient. Notwithstanding the very heavy 
dews, we were compelled to sleep on deck. In con- 
sequence, one of our company took so severe a cold 
that he returned to San Francisco from Stockton, 
abandoning mining ; while another, a young man 
from Uxbridge — alas ! will disregard all the earnest 
advice of his friends to return, and will go on, a doom- 
ed man — will reach the mines, and we shall there 
leave him in his grave. Poor C, may his sad story 
be a warning to multitudes of young men, having 
good business and good prospects at home, to remain 
there, contented with small, but steady and sure gains ! 
Sad, sad was his fate to be, for we were soon to bury 
him, in sight, and within a few yards of those rich de- 
posites, the exaggerated accounts of which are now 
luring him, and will lure so many others to their ruin ! 
Poor friend ! even the hardened muleteers, having 
charge of oiu* provisions, pity his sorrows, and walk 



78 NARROW ESCAPE. 

themselves, that they may supply a mule for his fal- 
tering and fainting steps. All see death in his hag- 
gard countenance and sunken eyes, yet he sees it not. 
Never shall I forget my interview with him, while 
I walked by the mule on which he was riding, a few 
days only before his death. He was telling me of 
the bright and happy future before him. Taking 
from his vest pocket a daguerreotype, he placed it in 
my hands, requesting me to open it. What simpli- 
city, what truth were portrayed in that lovely coun- 
tenance ! Well might he think his future a happy 
one. I could hardly conceal from him my emotion 
as I returned his priceless treasure, and thought, 
never will you take to your bosom the loving and 
the loved ! In a few days I communicated to his 
friends the intelligence of his death. 

Stockton, Oct. 25th. An escape so remarkable oc- 
curred to-day that it should not be omitted. Calling 
at the store of Paige & Webster to purchase provi- 
sions, I stood conversing with the clerk, the bag con- 
taining the supplies lying at my feet. Thinking the 
string was loose, I stooped over to examine it. At 
that very moment there was the sharp crack of a 
pistol in the store adjoining, and separated only by a 
cloth partition. On rising hastily, I perceived that 
the bullet had passed through the tent directly in 
range of my body. Without moving, I took the 
measurement, and found that, had I not moved the 
very second I did, the ball must have gone directly 
through my heart. It passed within an inch or two 
of my spine. A little crowd were instantly upon the 
spot, wondering at this almost miraculous escape. 



DANGERS IN PASSING THE MOUNTAIN. 79 

Our journey from Stockton to Marepoosa, a dis- 
tance of one hundred and twenty miles, was accom- 
plished between Oct. 27th and Nov. 15th. We took 
our own provisions and cooking utensils with us, 
there being few eating tents on the way. After 
three days' travel the rainy season set in, and we 
found it necessary to pitch our tents — sometimes do- 
ing this in the mud, spreading down our blankets 
upon the wet and cold ground, there to remain for 
two or three days. After we had crossed the plain 
of the San Joaquin and entered among the mount- 
ains, we had fine scenery and beautiful sunsets. Our 
guide was endeavoring to take us by a new track 
to the mines, and on our march, Nov. 2d, we were 
lost among the mountains. After a consultation, the 
guide and muleteers concluded to cross a high mount- 
ain, without a path and very steep. In ascending, 
two of the mules missed their footing, rolling over 
and over, down the precipitous sides of the hill, till 
arrested uninjured by some rock or stump. By the 
time we had reached the summit of the mountain, 
and passed across an extent of table-land to an abrupt 
bluff, at the foot of which was to be seen the beauti- 
ful Tuolumne, night had crept upon us. With the 
night came torrents of rain, driving through our thin 
canvas roof in a shower of large drops. During the 
night I was conscious of a sensation of coldness 
which had completely benumbed me. When suffi- 
ciently awake to ascertain the cause, I found that, 
owing to the unevenness of the ground, I had slid 
down till my feet were immersed in a cold bath out- 
side the tent. All the next day we kept our tent, 



80 THE writer's solitary WALK, 

amusing ourselves by reading, sewing, and convers- 
ing. The morning after, the clouds had disappeared, 
and the sun rose in splendor. The birds sang their 
most enlivening songs. It was like our May at 
home. On walking out of our tents, we perceived 
the huge foot-prints of the grisly bear at just twen- 
ty-six paces distant, and there were the holes where 
he had scratched up the ground in pursuit of the 
ants and bugs, which he devours with avidity. The 
centipedes and tarantulas occasioned us no little ap- 
prehension and uneasiness. After the rain com- 
menced, we frequently found them between and 
under our blankets. 

On one of the mornings of our march, my feet be- 
ing lame, I started in advance of the train, that I 
might take time to rest, not expecting to see ^he 
party again till they overtook me at the end of the 
day's march. When I left, all preparations for a 
start had been made, and the muleteers had gone out 
for their mules. Two of them, however, were miss- 
ing, and so much of the day was spent before they 
were found, that the guide concluded to remain in 
camp till the next morning. Upon reaching the 
spring where I supposed we were to encamp, and 
having quenched my thirst, hungry and weary, I 
went to a large and shady tree a short distance from 
the path, and sat down to await my companions. 
For some time I occupied my mind with reading 
the '' Pilgrim's Progress," which I had in my pock- 
et. Soon, however, Bunyan's dream began to min- 
gle vfith my own, and I fell into a long, deep sleep. 
When I awoke, bewildered and confused, it was near 



HIS RETURN TO THE CAMP. 81 

night, and nowhere were my companions to be seen. 
Had they passed me during the day, and gone on to 
the next encampment, or had some accident delayed 
them, w^ere becoming anxious questions to me. I 
perceived, by new tracks, that several trains had 
passed while I was asleep. Was mine one of them ? 
I determined — why, I hardly know — to retrace my 
morning steps. But soon a new source of anxiety 
arose. My course in the morning had been across a 
plain at the foot of the mountains, till at length it 
brought me up among them. As I descended the 
last steeps of these, and saw the plain extended out 
below me, far in the distance, and very far from 
the trail I had come, I saw a mule- train which I 
thought must be mine, and concluded that I had 
been all this time wandering out of my way. Fix- 
ing their direction in my mind before descending 
upon the plain, and while the sun was setting, I 
struck across, leaving my path, and hoping to inter- 
sect theirs by the time they should come into camp. 
If I could not effect this, I must spend the night 
without food, or water, or blankets, with also the 
prospect of being lost among the mountains. This, 
in my situation, would be attended with much in- 
convenience and some danger. Several have been 
lost in this manner, and never seen again. At length 
I succeeded in reaching the train, and found it was 
not mine ; but I had the satisfaction of hearing from 
my companions, and that they were still at their last 
night's camp. At about ten o'clock I reached our 
encampment. Tired and hungry as I was, I stood 
for some time struck with the scene before me. In 
D2 



82 DISCUSSIONS AMONG THE COxMPANY. 

addition to the usual camp-fires, giving to every 
thing a wild, gipsy-like air, my friends had cut down 
a large tree, and, piling up all the branches and a 
quantity of dry fuel, had made a grand bonfire. The 
whole country about was lighted up. Hastening to 
the camp, I first snatched up the coffee-pot, and, find- 
ing it half full, began to drink heartily of the con- 
tents, *too thirsty to judge of its quality. When I 
joined the cheerful party around the blazing fire, I 
was appealed to to decide a question which they 
had been and still were eagerly discussing. The 
subject was one which, being brought up under our 
circumstances, and at such a distance from home, 
was calculated to awaken a lively interest. It was 
respecting the comparative merits of the Boston Com- 
mon and the New York Battery, and was agitated 
by young miners from those cities. 

As we approach the mines, accounts vary greatly 
as to the prospects of the miners. Those who are, 
like ourselves, going toward the Marepoosa diggings, 
hear a thousand exaggerated stories of success ; but 
the multitude who are already leaving this region 
for other mines bring back the most discouraging re- 
ports. As we have found it elsewhere, so it is here ; 
at a distance — in Stockton, in San Francisco, in the 
States, the Marepoosa diggings are regarded as very 
rich, and are thought by some to be the ancient Ophir. 
Now that we are within a few miles, the enchant- 
ment which distance lends has vanished. It is 
found that, in general, the miners are not making a 
living. At the River Mercedes we saw some Indians, 
called Savage's Indians, from an American with that 



WOODPECKERS AND FROGS. OO 

name, who shot the chief and took his place in the 
tribe. He was formerly a companion of Colonel 
Fremont. These Indians were fishing for salmon, at 
which business they are very expert and successful. 
All the Indians in the country are openly friendly, 
but their friendship is not to be trusted. They have 
acquired a growing distrust of the emigrant miners, 
so often are they made the subjects of the most cruel 
and barbarous impositions. To me their whole de- 
portment appears threatening. Even when they 
come into our camps with presents or to trade, their 
conduct says plainly, " We bide our time !" It may 
be delayed, but the time w^ill come when they will 
seek revenge ; and woe be to those who are among 
these wild mountain fastnesses when that fearful 
time comes ! 

I have seen but few birds among the mountains 
of California. The large French woodpecker is the 
most common. It feeds upon the acorn, of which it 
lays up immense supplies after they have fallen from 
the trees. It can not put its stores in the gi-ound, 
for the bears and squirrels would scratch them up 
and devour them. They pick a hole in the bark of 
the tree, of such a size that the acorn will exactly 
fit into it; then they fly down, and, taking one in 
the bill, drive it deep into the hole. There are thou- 
sands of these acorns sometimes in a single tree, 
which have the appearance of so many bullets shot 
into it. There is a singular species of the frog, sim- 
ilar to the "horned frog" of Texas. It is as large as 
the common frog, but covered with scales, with two 
of the same scales, but larger, protruding out from 



84 BEARS AND THIEVES. 

its head. There are abundance of elk, deer, and an- 
telope ; but the most remarkable animal is the grisly 
bear. This animal is eight to eleven feet in length, 
and four to six in girth. It is of a dark brown col- 
or, with long, shaggy hair. It possesses wonderful 
strength, and a single blow of its iron-clawed paw 
would fell an ox ; yet it rarely attacks unless pro- 
voked. It never lies in wait for its prey. It is dan- 
gerous to attack him. Few persons have the hardi- 
hood, when alone, to fire upon him, and then look 
for a tree to which they may retreat. 

We passed, on our way, through '' Fremont's 
camp," where, a year since, the colonel had a large 
number of Indians working for him. It is now quite 
a settlement ; and the very day we passed through, a 
company of sixty men was organized to pursue and 
punish the Indians for various depredations lately 
committed. Finding so little which was favorable 
in our prospect, we started for Sherlock's diggings, 
led by new stories of wonderful success. The two 
brothers Sherlock, who discovered this place, are said 
to have taken out $30,000 from a small square spot 
of ground. They went to Monterey to deposit their 
money and make preparations to continue their prof- 
itable labors. While there, in an unguarded man- 
ner, one day, they let fall some hints concerning their 
success. These were not lost upon two sailors be- 
longing to a man-of-war then lying in the bay, and 
vfho happened to be present. They returned on 
board, asked and obtained a furlough for seven 
wocks, made their preparations, and when the Shcr- 
iocks started, they started also. It was not long be- 



COLD AND RAIN. 85 

fore the Sherlocks suspected the purpose of the sail- 
ors, and, to elude them, very quietly arose at mid- 
night, packed their mules, and silently proceeded on 
their way. What was their surprise in the morning 
to find their pursuers still following them. Every 
means was resorted to in order to avoid them or mis- 
lead their search, hut all in vain. They were always 
there. Seeing that they were " in for it," they made 
a virtue of necessity, took the sailors with them, gave 
them valuahle instructions, and every assistance in 
their power. A few weeks since, and hefore the ex- 
piration of their furlough, the two sailors returned 
on board with ninety pounds of gold. 

Here we encountered severe hardships, camping 
in leaky tents, upon wet and muddy ground, from 
which we raised ourselves only by spreading down 
pine boughs beneath us, being chilled with the cold 
rain and snow. Yesterday a friend was seated by 
me upon a log at the opening of the tent. " Oh I" 
said he, " let me be at home with my wife and little 
daughter, and I will live on one meal a day. I have 
often wondered," he continued, " how the poor Irish 
could live in their hovels, but look here at our home I 
Their situation is Paradise compared to ours ! My 
wife would cry herself to death if she could see what 
I suffer !" 

Nov. 16th. To-day we commenced our labors at 
Sherlock's, contracting to pay $5 a day for an old 
cradle, while the sum total of our first day's labor 
has been one dollar. One of my companions amused 
us by telling us, while speaking of the wrong ideas 
those form of the mines who have never seen them, 



86 VARIOUS SUCCESS OF MINERS. 

tlie advice his father gave him. He told him not to 
work too hard, but to buy a low chair and a small 
iron rake, and, taking his seat, to rake over the sand, 
and, picking up the pieces of gold as they came to 
view, to put them in a box. 

Nov. 17th. The sum total made to-day is 25 cents ; 
and this when provisions are selling at ^1 25 a 
pound, with the prospect of being still higher. We 
returned this evening to our camp tired and hungry, 
and, finding very little here to eat, have put on a ket- 
tle of acorns to boil, upon which, with a little veni- 
son, we shall make our supper. There are many 
depredations committed by the Indians. Mules are 
stolen, and driven away to be eaten. 

Nov. 19th. To-day we have made 50 cents each. 
This evening, as I was passing through the village 
on my way to the trading-tent, I perceived an old, 
drunken sailor cooking some nice steaks from the 
grisly bear. I had never yet tasted the meat, and 
when I expressed a curiosity to do this, a tin plate, 
with a generous slice of the savory meat, was placed 
before me on the ground, with a bottle of brandy. 
The latter I eschewed, while the former I chewed, 
and found it delicious — similar to young pork. While 
we were enjoying the feast, the old sailor related to 
me a remarkable instance of success in his own case 
a few days before. His account was corroborated by 
others, who gave me some particulars which he with- 
held. He was walking, or rather staggering, for he 
had been drinking pretty deeply, upon the bank, be- 
low which the miners were hard at work. As he 
was thus proceeding, singing as he went, he kicked 



NO LETTERS FROM HOME. 87 

his foot against a stone, causing it to roll over. 
Turning around, and at the same time raising his 
clinched fist, he began to curse the stone, when his 
attention and oaths were all arrested together, for he 
saw at the bottom of the hole from which the stone 
was displaced something yellow and bright. In an 
instant he was upon his knees, knife in hand, and 
soon held up a beautiful lump of nearly pure gold, 
valued at $500. In one week he had drank and 
gambled the whole away. Such instances as this 
have given rise to the opinion among the miners 
that the worthless, drinking, and gambling charac- 
ters have better success than the sober and perse- 
vering laborer. 

Nov. 21st. It is now about seven months since 
my last letter from my family. My feelings may 
then be imagined when, late yesterday afternoon, I 
heard there were letters for me at Fremont's camp., 
eight miles distant, over the mountain. Although 
suffering greatly from blistered feet, I started early 
this morning, after passing a sleepless night. Alas ! 
what was my disappointment at finding my letters 
were from San Francisco, soliciting the votes and 
influence of our company in favor of the election of 
a candidate to some office ! Indeed, it is not sur- 
prising that, amid such trials and hardships, so many 
become disheartened, and resort to forbidden and fa- 
tal pleasures and stimulants. 

Dec. 1st. Finding all our efforts unavailing, and 
that none around us were succeeding, we visited 
Aqua Frio some days since, and have now removed 
here. There does not appear to be much doing here, 



88 REMOVAL TO A NEW PLACE. 

but it is a larger settlement, but few now remaining 
at Sherlock's. It is, on this account, more safe from 
the encroachments of the Indians, and provisions are 
more easily obtained. These are, however, constant- 
ly rising. Each dash of rain adds one or two shil- 
lings a pound to the price of every article. This is 
owing to the fact that, as the rains render the roads 
worse, the price for transportation proportionally in- 
creases. We are now paying $1 50 a pound for 
provisions. The price of a barrel of flour here would 
go far toward supporting a family at home for a year. 
Four pounds of hard, moldy bread for our mule cost 
us about $6. And yet, with these high prices, the 
miners in the best diggings m the region do not av- 
erage ^1 50 a day. We have not done this. 

Dec. 3d. Lying awake in my tent last night, I 
overheard three miners, who had come in partially 
intoxicated at midnight to their tent, within a few 
feet of us, talking over their plans. It seemed that 
one of them had just weighed the gold they had made 
that day, and found it nine ounces. They were to 
be up early, and start for the same place again. I 
conformed my movements to theirs the next fore- 
noon, with an experienced miner for a companion. 
With our picks and spades, we soon reached the 
place where they were at work. They were in the 
middle of the channel, having turned the stream 
from its course, up to their knees in the mud and 
water, while one of their number was constantly em- 
ployed in " bailing out." We prospected near them 
for a few hours, as they told us many others had 
done, unsuccessfully. They did not themselves ex- 



PROVISIONS SCARCE AND DEAR. 89 

pect to find employment for more than two days, the 
deposit ah-eady beginning to fail. 

Dec. 4th. There was a large fall of snow last night, 
which pressed so heavily upon our tent that it fell in 
upon us ; but we kept our beds till morning, the 
bank of snow above us adding not a little to the 
warmth of our blankets. I went down, after break- 
fast, to the diggings, and brushing away the snow, 
and breaking the ice, attempted to wash out some 
gold in a pan ; but I made nothing. Becoming 
thoroughly chilled, with my hands and feet frost- 
bitten, I returned to my tent ; but here it is almost 
as bad. The canvas, of which our tent is made, is 
under the snow, our provisions scarce^ the fire out, 
and the day very cold. Two of my companions, feel- 
ing the pressure of hunger, went to the tent of an 
acquaintance, where they found some venison steaks 
and bread, which had been left at breakfast. They 
made their dinner from these, being comforted by the 
thought that some ciote or stray dog would bear the 
blame. What renders our situation more deplorable 
is the want of proper clothing. Grood boots are so 
scarce that $96 are readily given for a pair. 

A miner related in my hearing to-day the manner 
in which he employed others to work for him. He 
marked off a claim ten feet square, and commenced 
digging in one corner of it. Finding it likely to be 
a more serious job than he anticipated, and being 
tired of it, and yet not willing to abandon it without 
knowing what lay at the bottom, he concealed sev- 
eral pieces of gold, one weighing two ounces, in a 
corner of his claim. Watching his opportunity when 



90 DISAPPOINTMENTS AND DISCOURAGEMENTS. 

several persons were near, he artfully uncovered one 
of the lumps; seeming, at the same time, anxious to 
conceal it. In a few moments several spectators 
were eyeing his movements. Soon he turned up two 
or tlu-ee more small pieces, and then the larger one. 
In ten minutes the ground all about him was marked 
off, and many picks and shovels were employed in 
prospecting for him, while he went hack to his tent, 
pleased with the success of his maneuver. Several 
good offers were made him for his claim, and, had 
he been so disposed, he might have made a good bar- 
gain ; but he was satisfied with the amount of labor 
he thus procured. In many cases the grossest im- 
positions have been practiced. Persons have scat- 
tered gold in the dirt of a claim they held, then have 
offered it for a high price, exhibiting a pan full of 
the rich soil as a specimen. We have now spent 
many days at Aqua Frio without finding any pros- 
pect of success ; on the contrary, being involved in 
debt ; and have determined to break up our camp, 
and, disposing of our tents, cooking utensils, (k;c., to 
retrace our steps toward Stockton. One of our com- 
pany is disposed a little longer to try his fortunes — 
or rather his misfortunes — at the Marepoosa mines. 
Another remains in his lonely grave. All the others, 
excepting myself, intend to return to San Francisco, 
and, as soon as they are able, to leave for home. 

On Monday, Dec. 10th, we started with a mule- 
train bound for Stockton, which took a few pounds 
of freight for us, while I packed twenty pounds upon 
my back. The fust day we traveled fifteen miles 
over the mountains, and saw hundreds going to and 



SLEEPING IN A HOLLOW TREE. 91 

from the mines. Bm'ns's tent was so filled with 
travelers that we were compelled to sleep out in the 
open 3l\i, which was so severely cold that the water 
froze by our side. The next night we slept at Mont- 
gomery's ranch, after walking twenty-three miles. 
Spreading our blankets down upon the ground, be- 
neath a canvas roof, we slept so closely packed that 
no person could have stepped between us. For break- 
fast we had tea, hard bread, beans, and pork, and a 
few pickles, for all which we paid $2 each. The 
following day we traveled in the rain twenty-five 
miles, fording the Tuolumne. My companions had 
all dropped behind, half frozen and tired out, seeking 
shelter and rest in some trading or eating tents we 
had passed. I pushed on with the mule-train, hop- 
ing at night to reach a comfortable shelter ; but 
night found us completely exhausted, and far from 
any settlement. The company traveling with the 
mule-train had a tent, but there was no spare room 
which they could offer me. I had to make up my 
mind to spend the night alone in the drenching rain, 
and it was a night I shall never forget. A large log- 
fire was burning, by which I sat till a late hour, 
when I happened to remember that I had seen a 
large hollow tree by the road side, at some little dis- 
tance from our camp. Taking a blazing brand, I 
went and examined the tree, and found that the hol- 
low would afford my body a shelter by sitting up- 
right, and leaving my feet exposed to the rain. I 
kindled a fire, collecting some brush and bark with 
which to replenish it during the night. Then, with 
the ax I had borrowed, I removed a quantity of dead 



92 NIGHT ADVENTURE. 

leaves and filthy rubbish accumulated at the bottom 
of my cavern. To my alarm, I found among this 
rubbish fresh marks of a large bear, which had lately 
found refuge here from a storm such as now drove 
me to its shelter. But there seemed no alternative, 
and I thought, besides, that my fire would be a pro- 
tection against wild beasts ; so I \^T:apped my blank- 
ets about me, and, sinking down into my novel bed, 
with my feet in a cold bath, I listened to the patter- 
ing of the rain, thinking of those far away. Soon 
my fire began to fail, and I had placed the last piece 
of bark upon it, and fallen asleep. "When I awoke it 
was pouring in torrents, and my fii-e was entirely out. 
Then came thoughts of the bear, and I instinctively 
drew in my legs, not wishing to place temptation 
within his reach, should he be prowling about \iie. 
It would not do ; I was nearly frozen ; the water be- 
gan to find its way into my bed, which I apprehend- 
ed I should soon be compelled to share with old Bru- 
in. Then it was so dark. I got up, took my blan- 
kets over my arm, and started ta return to the log- 
fire, which I saw dimly burning in the distance. In 
my haste, I forgot that there was a bend in the 
bank of the stream below us, making it necessary 
for me to take a circuit round in order to reach my 
companions. I soon found myself lodged among the 
bushes and stones at the bottom of the bank. Then 
came over me a nervous feeling like a nightmare, and 
I could already feel myself in the grasp of the grisly 
bear — his claws and teeth were in my flesh. Drop- 
ping my ax, and every thing but my blankets, and 
losing one of my shoes, I began an imaginary scram- 



A GENEROUS FRIEND. 93 

ble and flight from my imaginary pursuer. The re- 
mainder of the night I passed, wrapped up in my 
blankets, by the log- fire. A walk of twelve miles 
the day following brought me to the Stanislaus, 
where I was to separate from my companions, who 
had not yet come up — they going on to Stockton, 
and I to the Stanislaus diggings. The rain contin- 
ued to pour down. Little dreamed our friends at 
home of oisr situation then ! With scarcely a dollar 
in our pockets, a long journey before us, cold, hun- 
gry, and wet, our oppressed hearts were ready to sink. 
Alas ! little did I anticipate what a gloomy future 
was before two of those companions ! One of them 
was the only and the idolized son of his parents, and 
tenderly and dearly loved by his sisters. His home 
possessed every comfort and convenience. He had 
come far from his father's house to perish with hun- 
ger. He resolved, " I will arise and go to my fa- 
ther." But that father and that heart-broken moth- 
er he was no more to see. A year after we parted — 
and oh ! what a year of suffering and privation must 
that have been — with that companion of his boyhood 
and youth, he reached Chagres in most destitute cir- 
cumstances. To raise money enough to take him 
home, he engaged as a boatman on the river, took 
the fever, and died. In consequence of my recent 
exposure, I had a severe cold, and was entirely una- 
ble to travel ; yet I had no means of paying my ex- 
penses at a ranch. Under these circumstances, I 
crossed the Stanislaus, went to the ranch of Mr. 
Greorge Islip, a gentleman from Canada, and told 
him my situation. " Grive yourself no uneasiness," 



94 wood's diggings. 

he said ; '' you are welcome as long as you choose to 
remam with us ; all I request of you is that you will 
feel yourself at home." I passed a very pleasant 
week with this noble-hearted man, and was treated 
as a brother. The wind had blown down his house, 
and torn the canvas roof to ribbons, and we were 
without shelter from the pelting rain ; but warm 
fires, kept up in the middle of the temporary shelter, 
made us comfortable. To protect my body from the 
rain, I would creep under the table, managing to 
keep my feet near the fire. After a week of inter- 
esting and wild adventure, I was set over the river 
by my friend, and started for the mines again. The 
roads were very muddy, and the streams forded with 
difficulty. In my first day's walk I passed three 
wagons which were mired — a common occurrence at 
this season of the year. There were many dead an- 
imals by the road side. My Christmas eve I spent 
most cheerlessly at Grreen Spring, and the next day 
reached "Woods's diggings. On the 26th Dec. I vis- 
ited Sullivan's diggings, Jamestown, Yorktown, and 
Curtis's Creek. A residence in this portion of the 
mines was, in every way, more desirable than in the 
more distant mines at this season. Provisions were 
cheaper, and there was less danger of attacks from 
the Indians. All the places I have mentioned, to- 
gether with the Chinese diggings, Mormon Grulch, 
Sonora, and others, were a cluster of mines lying 
near to each other, and between the Stanislaus and 
Tuolumne Rivers. At each of these places were 
trading tents and dwellings of the miners, chiefly of 
canvas, with some log and hide houses, and one or 



95 

two frame buildings. Sonora is the principal of 
these, the residence chiefly of Mexicans and Chili- 
nos, of whom there are some twelve thousand. Here 
are furnished provisions, clothing, tools, &c., at al- 
most as low rates as at Stockton. Its hotels, restau- 
rants, and trading tents presented a very busy ap- 
pearance ; and there is no place in the mines where 
gambling is so much the business. Some comforta- 
ble houses have been erected here. After visiting 
all the mines, and finding but indifferent prospects 
at any of them, I located myself at Curtis's Creek, 
to labor in the winter dio^srinsjs. I was without a 
companion, and had heard of a gentleman from New 
England who was desirous of sharing his tent and 
provisions with some one. He had been out of health, 
but was supposed to be improving. My name had 
been naentioned to him by a friend before I arrived, 
and he had expressed a desire to enter into such an 
arrangement as might be of mutual advantage. He 
was considered a man of great intelligence and worth ; 
and it was partly with the hope of having him as a 
mining companion that I had visited Curtis's. His 
tent was a^mile from the settlement. Taking my 
roll of blankets, I walked over to see him. Judge 
of my surprise, on reaching his tent, and raising the 
curtains at the entrance, and stepping in, to find my- 
self standing before a corpse ^ laid out upon a ham- 
mock ! I learned from a colored man, who soon came 
in, that Mr. H. had died half an hour before. He 
was alone, and seemed to have just been reaching 
from his bed for somethinsf. The last sentiment to 
which he gave utterance w^as, *' I believe I left home 



96 FUNERAL OF A MINER. 

a moral and a religious man ; I have brought moral- 
ity and religion with me, and, with God's assistance, 
I will keep them to the last." Neither he nor others 
supposed that he was dangerously sick. With the 
black man, I went out, and we selected a spot be- 
neath a large tree, and there we dug his grave. The 
noon of the next day was the time named for the fu- 
neral, and notice accordingly was sent to the various 
mines near by. It being impracticable to provide a 
coffin, the body was wrapped in several blankets, and 
a quantity of pine boughs spread at the bottom of the 
grave. At the time appointed for the burial, most 
of the miners might be seen leaving their various em- 
ployments, and slowly walking in small groups to- 
ward the grave. Another group — the bearers and 
friends — met them, and all proceeded togethei* on 
the way. How solemn and impressive, under those 
circumstances, "the burial service" of the Church, 
which was then performed. An appropriate hymn 
was sung, and the body laid in its last repose, then 
covered with pine boughs, and the grave was filled 
up. Having purchased the tent and a part of the 
provisions, I spent the two following da^^, assisted 
by a friend — young Dr. R., of New Jersey — in re- 
moving the tent, and preparing for the labors of min- 
ing. On the Sunday following — the 30th Dec. — I 
was requested to go over to Woods's diggings and 
attend the funeral of a young man from Philadel- 
phia. We had formerly both listened together to the 
faithful preaching of the Rev. Mr. Fowles. Could it 
have been anticipated, as I fixed my eye upon that 
healthy, intelligent countenance at the close of the 



FAMILY PRAYER. 97 

services, that in the wilds of California I should so 
soon be called to pronounce over him the solemn sen- 
tence — in this case sadly solemn — ^^ Earth to earthy 
ashes to ashes, dust to dust /" The brother of young 
A. was with him at the mines, but he died alone. 
The next morning, the last of the year, Dr. R. and 
myself started upon a prospecting excursion ; and 
we returned at night as wise, as rich, and a little 
more tired than we were when we left in the morning. 

Jan. 1st, 1850. It has rained hard all day. En- 
gaged in washing and mending clothes, cooking, writ- 
ing, and reading. Before we separated for the night, 
my friend, Dr. R., requested me to conduct " fami- 
ly worship." It was a simple request and a simple 
act, like every act of faith, and appropriate to our 
situation and to the day, being the first of the year. 
Only those who have experienced it, especially in a 
situation like ours, know of the refreshing fountain 
of comfort which springs up in the soul while kneel- 
ing before the throne of " our Father in heaven." It 
was family prayer ; and we realized the delightful 
import of this expression. The Being to whom we 
addressed our prayers was at that moment looking 
with an eye of love upon each member of our dear 
families at home, and our prayers would bring peace, 
protection, and blessings to them. It was family 
prayer ; and at that moment we felt the privilege of 
being united with the great and happy family that 
worship the glorious and good Being who loves and 
cares for all. 

Jan. 2d. During the last night there was a rob- 
bery in the settlement, which caused great excite- 

E 



98 ROBBERY. 

meiit. A miner, formerly from Ohio, but who had 
been many years in Oregon, where he had a pleasant 
home, had been induced, by the hope of making a 
rapid fortune, to sell his valuable property, and, tak- 
ing his large family, to remove to the mines. There, 
by hard labor and trading, he had laid up about $4000. 
Most of this sum was in a trunk at the foot of the 
bed in their tent. During the night this trunk was 
taken, and the next morning was found at some dis- 
tance, broken open, and the money gone. A boarder 
was immediately arrested on suspicion, but, after a 
well-conducted trial, was released. We have made 
37 cents each. 

Jan. 3d. It has rained hard most of the day, and 
there was some thunder, a very unusual occurrence 
in California. Spent a part of the day and all the 
evening with Dr. R., singing, reading, &c. At the 
close of our pleasant interview, again we "lifted the 
heart and bent the knee" in prayer to Almighty G-od. 
In our visits to each other on these rainy days, like 
the ladies at home, we often take our sewing with 
us. To-day I took a pair of stockings to darn, one 
of my shoes to mend, and the '' Democratic Review" 
to read. While we plied our needles, our tongues 
were equally busy speaking of mutual friends and 
hopes. 

Jan. 4th. It has been clear to-day, but, owing to 
the high state of the water, we could do but little. 
I have been favored with an introduction to Captain 
Wadsworth, of Connecticut, a descendant of the cap- 
tain of the same name who is famous for having con- 
cealed the charter of the colony in the Charter Oak. 



FRIENDSHIP OF CAPTAIN WADSWORTH. 99 

He cordially invited me to share with him a pleasant 
house which he had spent some weeks in building, 
and which was more comfortable than any thing I 
had seen in the mines. The house was about ten 
feet square, inclosed by split rails, driven into the 
ground perpendicularly side by side, and filled in 
with clay, the whole covered with a tight canvas 
roof stretched over the rafters. The chimney was 
large, and, when well filled with blazing w^ood, im- 
parted an air of comfort to every thing. We en- 
joyed luxuries uncommon in the mines — a table and 
chairs. I soon found myself at home here. 

Jan. 5th. It rained again ; but we could not afford 
to be idle, though we made a mere trifle by severe 
and exposing labor. To-night we have weighed our 
week's earnings, and find that they amount to $1 80. 
It is more trying to the miner to be compelled to 
spend a day in idleness than to engage in the most 
severe labor, even though that labor be unprofitable. 
I have often been driven out by my own anxious 
thoughts to work in a severe rain. 

Jan. 6th, Sunday. A cloudy, unpleasant day. This 
forenoon, made a "duff;" but what was to be done 
for a string with which to tie the bag? I looked 
every where, but in vain. At last I thought of my 
shoe-string, which I used for this purpose. When 
all was ready, I found that the duff" was too large 
for the kettle, so I boiled one end first, and then 
turned the other, and boiled that. 

Jan. 7th. Prospected with Captain Wadsworth at 
the Chilian diggings. This is an open, level field, 
through which a stream formerly ran, but which now 



100 RAINY WEEK. 

has SO little water that many of the miners take the 
dirt to the river to be washed. Here was a large set- 
tlement of Chilinos, who have come from their own 
gold mines to try their fortune here. They often 
bring their families with them. I saw one family, the 
father of which, assisted by the older children, was 
'' panning out" gold on a stream near his rude home 
made of hides. The mother was washing clothes, 
while the infant was swinging in a basket made fast 
to the branches overhead. An interesting girl of five 
years, with a tiny pick and spade, was digging in a 
hole, already sunk two feet, and putting the dirt in 
a pan, which she would take to the stream and wash, 
putting the scale or two of gold into a dipper a little 
larger than a thimble. A heavy rain drove us home, 
wet and cold. It continued to rain, with a few in- 
tervals, during the remainder of the week ; but a 
trunk of valuable books, owned by Captain Wads- 
worth, served to occupy our minds. These employ- 
ments, with the writing of letters, singing, roasting 
our coffee, cooking, visiting, &c., filled up the hours 
of these rainy days. We have made, the whole week, 
i3 each. 

I must again remind my reader that, if these de- 
tails are uninteresting, they are yet necessary as the 
filling up of a miner's life. The bright and glowing 
pictures presented to the public — the "news from 
California"—'' $2,000,000 in gold-dust"—" rich dis- 
coveries" — -"new diggings," &c., must all be filled 
up with a back-ground of cloudy days, of rainy weeks, 
broken hopes, privations, sickness, many a gloomy 
death-scene, and many a lonely grave. With how 



PREACHING. 101 

mucli surprise, and often indignation, do the miners 
read the " accounts from the mines," which come 
back to them in the newspapers from home ! And 
with how much satisfaction do they read the few 
truthful descriptions which they meet. 

Jan. 13th, Sunday. The roads were so impassa- 
ble to-day, from the late rains, that I was unable to 
preach a funeral sermon at Woods's, as I had prom- 
ised. There was preaching at Curtis's in the fore- 
noon, by a Methodist, who gave us a good sermon, 
its only fault being its great length. At the close, 
he invited all so disposed to attend a class-meeting. 
Among others, a Grerman, having an imperfect ac- 
quaintance with our language, was called upon for 
his "experience." With some reluctance and hesi- 
tation, he arose, and said these few words : ''I find 
religion good when I do my duty ; and when I don't 
do my duty, I find religion bad ; but I shall try to 
try .'" In the afternoon I selected for my reading- 
desk and pulpit the stump of a tree which had been 
cut down, on a level spot, in the midst of the settle- 
ment. The logs and large branches of this tree had 
not yet been removed for fire- wood, and furnished 
seats for my congregation. Our worship was very 
primitive, and the whole scene would have been im- 
pressive to one of our assemblies at home ; but we 
remembered, to our edification, that Grod looks not 
upon the outward appearance, but upon the heart. 
The singing was excellent, conducted by a professor 
from the Boston Academy. After the preaching, I 
invited all who wished to join a choir for mutual 
improvement in singing to remain. A good num- 



102 



UNSUCCESSFUL LABOR. 



ber were present, and the professor was duly elect- 
ed chorister. Our arrangement was to meet before 
worship on Sunday, and on Wednesday evenings, 
and devote two hours to this delightful employment 
Those hours I shall not soon forget. Sometimes, 
when some old familiar tune was sung, which 
brought each one's home circle before his mind, si- 
lent but eloquent tears would start in many eyes. 

Jan. 14th. In company with Captain W. and Dr. 
E., selected a spot where a mountain ravine opens 
into the river, and a few yards below the place where 
a company of Frenchmen took out, a few months 
since, a large amount of gold. Our best prospect 
was in the channel of this mountain stream. We 
spent some hours in diverting the stream frorri its 
course by a dam and a canal on a small scale. Then, 
by bailing, we succeeded in opening the channel. 
Most of the upper soil, with the stones, must be re- 
moved, nearly to the primitive rock below, often a 
distance of some feet, always ankle or knee deep in 
the mud. We were greatly encouraged, in the pres- 
ent instance, by an indication of gold rarely present- 
ed. About four inches from the surface of the ground, 
and in the loose upper soil, I found a lump of gold 
weighing nearly three pennyweights. Grreatly cheer- 
ed by this circumstance, we worked away with spade 
and pick, with cradle and pan, hour after hour, and 
were rewarded by finding in our treasury at night a 
few bright scales of gold, amounting to 25 cents. 

Jan. 15th. This morning, notwithstanding the rain, 
we were again at our work. We must work. In 
sunshine and rain, in warm and cold, in sickness 



EVENING READING. 103 

and health, successful or not successful, early and 
late, it is work, ivork^ work ! Work or perish I 
All around us, above and below, on mountain side 
and stream, the rain falling fast upon them, are the 
miners at work — not for gold, but for bread. Law- 
yers, doctors, clergymen, farmers, soldiers, deserters, 
good and bad, from England, from America, from 
China, from, the Islands, from every country but 
Russia and Japan — all, all at work at their cradles. 
From morning to night is heard the incessant rock, 
rock, rock ! Over the whole mines, in streamlet, in 
creek, and in river, down torrent and through the 
valley, ever rushes on the muddy sediment from ten 
thousand busy rockers. Cheerful words are seldom 
heard, more seldom the boisterous shout and laugh 
which indicate success, and which, when heard, sink 
to a lower ebb the spirits of the unsuccessful. We 
have made 50 cents each. 

Jan. 16th. A friend put into my hands to-day a 
copy of the Boston Journal. "We laid it aside to read 
in the evening. But how was this to be accomplish- 
ed ? The luxury of a candle we could not afford. 
Our method was this : we cut and piled up a quan- 
tity of dry brush in a corner near the fire, and after 
supper, while one put on the brush and kept up the 
blaze, the other would read ; and as the blaze died 
away, so would the voice of the reader. Our work 
to-day has amounted to 80 cents each, 

Jan. 17th. A very rainy, cold day. As Captain 
W. is sorely afflicted with an eruption, which covers 
his whole body, probably the effects of having han 
died the " poison oak," which grows over the whole 



104 



VARIOUS SUCCESS. 



country, we conclude to remain in, and finish the 
paper. Cutaneous diseases are cured by the use of 
the soap-plant — amole. Captain W. has tried it to- 
day, and been greatly benefited. We use it in bath- 
ing, washing clothes, dishes, &c. 

Jan. 18th. It has continued to rain. There has 
been some excitement in a ravine near where we were 
at work. A company of six men found a place from 
which they have taken out ^18 to each every day 
through the week. The place is now thronged. Ev- 
ery foot is taken up ; and yet, of the hundreds there, 
not ^YQ have made more than their living. Some 
only made 12|- cents. We have worked there to- 
day, and made $2 each. This evening we have had 
a pleasant meeting of our choir. 

Jan. 19th. A fine day. We have made ^1 each. 
Upon the bank of Curtis's Creek, two men to-day 
opened a rich deposit, and have brought to their tent 
^105, while two others, hearing of their success, 
commenced just above, and a company of five more 
below them. Those above in a short time took out 
^64, and those below, $112. These instances of 
success, being talked of at noon, created a great ex- 
citement. This afternoon the bar presented a busy 
scene, and before night every foot of the lower part 
of the bar was marked off and claimed. 

Jan. 20th, Sunday. The singing and religious serv- 
ices were held to-day in the trading-tent of Mr. Capps. 
My reading-desk was a brandy-cask ; and perhaps 
this misrht be said in favor of the chans^e — it had 
long enough been appropriated to the service of Sa- 
tan, and its conversion to a better cause was not un- 
desirable. 



SNOW STORM. 105 

Jan. 21st. The report of the success on the "bar 
below on Saturday has gone abroad and done its 
work. Many mmers, much excited by the rumors, 
greatly exaggerated by passing through the mouths 
of the traders, have begun to come in. New tents 
are springing up, and new faces are seen; but suc- 
cess through the day has been confined to the one 
deposit, which proves to have run in a rich vein for 
some sixty feet, occasionally disappearing, but al- 
ways coming up again in the same line. A compa- 
ny of six miners, from Illinois, made over four pounds 
of gold last week, then gave up their claim, suppos- 
ing it exhausted, to some friends, who made three 
pounds more from it to-day. 

Jan. 22d. In company with several experienced 
and successful miners, went to some of the tributa- 
ries of the Tuolumne. "We had gone three miles 
from home, and were prospecting some of the higher 
ravines, the lower being too full of water. It had 
been cloudy when we started, but we were so accus- 
tomed to the rains of this country that we felt no 
concern ; but about noon a severe, cold wind sprung 
up, driving before it a storm of snow. It came cut- 
ting and freezing into our faces. It was one of those 
evils which must be met. I carried a spade in one 
hand, and a crow-bar in the other ; and that piece 
of cold iron penetrated into my soul. I thought I 
had never before experienced the sensation of pure, 
unrelieved cold. The ice-water into which I plunged 
my hands half an hour since, on my return, felt warm. 
We were not at all prepared for such an event. Ah ! 
this mountain ramble, the heavy snow-flakes and 
E2 



106 



MERCHANT FROM NEW YORK. 



hail pelting in our faces, our hands and feet almost 
frozen, have gone far toward curing us of any slight 
remains of the " yellow fever" which may have been 
clinging to us ! 

Jan. 23d. A clear and cold day. The ground is 
covered with snow. Alone I went to my cold and 
cheerless work. Those who are counting their bright 
yellow coins think little of the privations which have 
been undergone, the agonies which have been en- 
dured — ^think not of the living death, the dying life 
it has cost to draw from the mines their golden ea- 
gles. Made to-day 75 cents. 

Jan. 24th. Last night it was intensely cold, and 
near morning commenced snowing, which it has con- 
tinued to do the whole day. A mail-agent has come 
in to-day, and still no letters for me. It is now thir- 
ty-nine weeks since my last letter from home was 
dated. I would purchase one line from my wife 
with all the gold I have made during those thirty- 
nine weeks. 

To-day, while a friend was seated by me, before 
Captain W.'s blazing fire, we were speaking of the 
great number of persons who come to the mines, and, 
after working a few days, become discouraged, and 
abandon mining. He related the following instance, 
which he knows to have taken place. A merchant 
from New York recently came up with high expecta- 
tions, having made all his arrangements and prepa- 
rations to carry on mining for one season. The fas- 
cinating interest which invests this whole subject at 
a distance had drawn him on. Being a strong and 
vigorous man, blessed w4th the grace of perseverance, 



HIS OBSERVATIONS. 107 

he attributed the want of success, of which so many 
complained, to their indolence or want of energy. 
The question he frequently put, on his way to the 
mines, was, '' How much may be made by hard and 
persevering labor?" as if he thought that such labor 
must succeed. He reached the mines — saw, on the 
bar below him, some miners hard at work. As he 
watched them, he thought, " That, indeed, is hard 
work, and here is an opportunity to judge for my- 
self." He directed the muleteer to wait while he 
went down to the bar. There he saw the prepara- 
tions which had been made for washing, the stones 
and dirt which had been removed before the gold 
could be reached. He saw the men at the bottom of 
the pit, knee deep in mud, filling the buckets. He 
followed those buckets to the cradle, watched the 
operation of washing the dirt through the cradle. 
As they prepared to wash down in pans, he inquired, 
" How many buckets of dirt have been washed to 
procure the gold now in the machine ?" '' Twenty- 
five," was the reply. " And how many buckets can 
be washed out in a day?" ''Sometimes more and 
sometimes less ; we wash out one hundred and fifty." 
" How many men in your company ?" " Four." 
"While these inquiries were going on, one of the com- 
pany was panning down the gold, and brought it to 
where they were seated upon some rocks. " How 
much gold is there in that pan ?" he eagerly inquired. 
One said there was ^2, while the others thought there 
was not so much. It was weighed, and found to be 
^1 62. He could make his own calculations of their 
day's labor. The sum total was $9 72 ; for each 



108 ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE. 

of the four men, $2 43. He looked about him. 
There was all that pile of rubbish to be removed — 
enough to employ them the whole day — before they 
could wash the gold at all. " Where are your tents ?" 
he asked. "We have none." "Where are your pro- 
visions ?" " This money is to purchase them." " You 
had better purchase mine, which can be done cheap, 
as I shall be on my way to San Francisco in ten min- 
utes." And to San Francisco he returned, and in 
three weeks was established in a commission auction 
store. 

Jan. 28th. Since my last date it has rained con- 
stantly, and some of the time in torrents ; but little 
work has been done. Yesterday a miner was tried 
for stealing a small amount of gold, and, upon con- 
viction, was sentenced to receive five lashes, and to 
leave the mines in five days. Reports have been cir- 
culating among us of some large lumps of gold hav- 
ing been found at Sonora, one of which, it is assert- 
ed, weighs seventy pounds. 

' Jan. 29th. It is a lovely spring morning, but the 
water is so high it is impossible to work. The notes 
of the robin, the thrush, and the American nightin- 
gale are heard, bringing back thoughts of the homes 
we have left. The miners are beginning to talk of 
the summer diggings upon the rivers. Many parties 
have gone on exploring expeditions, and it is said 
that thousands of miners have all their provisions 
purchased, and but await the melting of the snow 
from the mountains to cross over and take possession 
of the real El Dorado. Very little is doing here. 
We are not averaging a dollar a day on the whole 



VARIOUS PROCfiEDINGS. 109 

creek. A gentleman from New England lias just 
been telling me that he left a business, when he came 
from home, which enabled him to lay up ^500 a year ; 
but that, since he left home, which is now over a year, 
he has not made $200. Surely not enough to sup- 
port him. A newspaper, which has strayed into the 
mines to-day, brings the astounding intelligence of 
the murder of Dr. Parkman, and the arrest and trial 
of Professor Webster as the murderer. 

Feb. 2d. Prospected to-day with Mr. L., of Living- 
ston Manor, upon the Hudson River. Mr. L. has a 
quiet, easy way, as he is seated upon some rock, ex- 
amining the dirt, and turning over the stones at the 
bottom of some hole, which gives the impression to 
any one who may happen to be looking on from a 
distance that he is picking up pieces of gold. We 
were thus seated to-day, and he was scraping the 
clay from a stone, and showed me several small 
scales, when two miners, who had been working all 
day above us, hurried down, and eagerly asked what 
we had found. They would not believe when we 
told them, but sat there an hour, watching every 
movement, ready, on the appearance of the lumps, 
to take possession of the next claim. Miners prac- 
tice many arts to deceive others with regard to what 
they may be doing. Especially is this the case if 
they are doing well, when they generally say they 
are doing nothing, reasoning as did Sir Walter Scott 
after he had published '' Waverley," and wishing to 
conceal his authorship. People had no right to ask 
if he was the author, and therefore it was right for 
him to deceive them. I found it was better to tell 



110 LETTERS FROM HOME. 

the truth. The very purpose of concealment was 
thus better accomplished, for, speak as you might, 
you were sure not to be believed, and you were thus 
spared the sin of a falsehood. The only indication 
by which I came to judge that miners were doing 
well in any place was to find them early and late, 
and constantly, at their work. Our prospecting gave 
us 25 cents each. 

Feb. 4th. This is a day to be remembered. Let- 
ters from home ! If any one would learn the full 
significance of these words, let him pass ten months 
in California without one word from his loved ones, 
an unhappy exile from his own family. They may 
be sick, suffering, dying, and he who should be near 
them, to care for, and protect, and comfort them, is 
far away, and knows not their condition. It is an 
era in the mines — the arrival of the mail-agent. 
How cheerfully are our two dollars a letter paid. It 
was like receiving back my family from the dead — 
those letters, after so long; and weary a silence. 1 
am happy ^ and I am miserable ! I am calm, and I 
am fearfully excited ! It is an era in the miner's 
life when such, although tardy, messengers reach 
him. I have been present when many of these have 
given up to their owners their treasures of love or 
their burden of wretchedness. One has just opened 
his letter, and bursts into immoderate weeping. I 
inquire the cause. " My wife and child are both 
dead !" A physician of one of the hospitals told me 
that they dared not give their letters from home to 
those who were very sick ; that in several instances 
they had seen persons in this condition, upon reading 
their letters, turn over and die. 



L\STANCES OF SUCCESS. Ill 

A party of individuals, from the ranches on the 
plains below, passed us on their way to the head- 
waters of the Tuolumne, in pursuit of Indians who 
had stolen some of their mules. They were joined 
hy numbers of the miners. 

Feb. 5th. There is some excitement with regard 
to a bar one mile above us. Captain W. and myself 
have spent the day there, and have made $5 37 each. 
The lump of gold found at Sonora, and which, it was 
said, weighs seventy pounds, weighs only twenty-two 
pounds. The miner through whom I received my 
information had a claim next to the one in which 
this lump w^as found. It lay within two inches of 
the very spot where he was at work. One blow of 
his pick w^ould have given him possession of it. 

Feb. 6th. "We have to-day made 75 cents each. 

An interesting instance of success happened re- 
cently in a gulch upon the Stanislaus in our vicinity. 
Two young men, on their way to the mines, heard 
of this gulch, and concluded to commence their min- 
ing at that place ; but, when they arrived there, they 
found the whole ground, considered favorable, occu- 
pied. Not knowing what to do or where to go, they 
made their first essay in a small ravine, across which 
a log was thrown for the convenience of the crowd 
constantly passing. In this ravine, and by the side 
of that log, they dug their hole. They came to a 
crevice in the rock, and saw opened before them a 
sight which makes the miner's heart glad — pounds 
of pure virgin gold, lying in lumps and scales, but 
awaiting their slightest eftbrt to transfer it to their 
own pockets. 



112 MIXED EVENTS. 

Feb. 7th. This forenoon my share was 25 cents. 
In the afternoon visited Yorktown. The diggings 
here are at a distance from any stream, upon the 
plain ; but it is probable the stream once ran over 
the ground where the gold is now found. Before the 
gold can be taken out, excavations must be made, 
from twelve to twenty feet in depth. One cup show- 
ed about eight ounces of beautiful gold taken out in 
five hours ; but it must be remembered that three 
men had been hard at work "clearing off" for seven 
days, during which time no gold had been made. 
This work is so severe and exposing that many at 
Yorktown are sick with rheumatism. 

Feb. 8th. We divide to-day 12 cents to each man. 

The party previously mentioned, who went out in 
pursuit of the Indians, returned late last night, hav- 
ing with them the scalp of one Indian, which they 
had taken after decoying him into ambush. They 
had mutilated the body, and then dragged it about 
with ropes, made fast to the pummel of the saddle. 
They rode through the settlement, almost too drunk 
to keep their seats, firing their guns and pistols, while 
from their mouths issued volleys of shrieks and im- 
precations. It must be mentioned, in justice to sev- 
eral who started with this party, that, becoming dis- 
gusted with the proceedings of their companions, they 
left them, and consequently must not share in the 
dissfrace of these transactions. 

Feb. 9th. We visited a wild mountain ravine, and 
made ^4 10 each to-day. 

Feb. 11th, Monday. In the same place, we have 
made to each ^5 62. 



A MURDERr 113 

Feb. 12th. Have made 15 cents. 

Feb. 13th. I must place a cipher against all our 
labors to-day. How expressive the miner's phrase, 
" AVorked out !" Others may go after him and make 
pounds of gold ; but, do what he can, labor as he 
may, become discouraged and leave, then return 
again and again, for him it is " worked out^^'' and 
with " longing, lingering looks," he at length aban- 
dons it as a hopeless task. 

Feb. 14th, Mormon G-ulch. The rainy season seems 
to have passed. To-day, in company with several 
companions, who purpose trying the ravine and dry 
diggings with me, came to this place. This is a 
settlement about four miles from Curtis's. "We 
found considerable excitement existing at Woods's 
as we came through. A miner, who was well known 
and esteemed, was found near that settlement mur- 
dered. He started yesterday, with considerable gold, 
intending to establish himself in some business in 
Stockton. His life was taken for his money. 

A quartz mountain near "VYoofffe's, rising abruptly 
from the valley, and showing its glittering white 
crest at its summit, drew our attention. Some ex- 
periments have been made here to obtain gold from 
the rock, but thus far without success. 

All the winter encampments are breaking up. 
The miners are on the move. The log and stone 
houses, and sometimes the tents, are deserted. With- 
in a short distance, we saw over three hundred pack- 
mules, moving about in every direction. 

Feb. 18th. Have spent the time since my last 
date in collecting the statistics of winter mining 



114 MORMON GULCH. 

from numerous miners in the various encampments 
near me, and in writing to those at a greater dis- 
tance. Have brought over our effects to Mormon 
Grulch, and selected a spot upon which to pitch our 
tent, at the foot of a mountain torrent, which de- 
scends here ahnost at once — sometimes playfully, 
sometimes angrily — into the valley. The mount- 
ains on both sides are high and precipitous. Di- 
rectly at the foot of the cascade, it widens out into 
a kind of bar. Upon this we have selected a spot 
for our home. It is altogether one of the most ro- 
mantic spots I have ever seen. From this place we 
have a view of a picturesque valley below and a wild 
cascade above us. When the stream is swollen aft- 
er a heavy rain, the cascade loses its beauty, but be- 
comes madly wild. Before we had erected our tent, 
the clouds, which had been lowering over us, began 
to pour down their contents upon us. We were all 
unprepared. Our provisions, clothing, and blankets 
were all wet. We find — too late, alas! — that we 
have committed the same kind of error with Cow- 
per's birds, who anticipated pairing time, and built 
their nests too early. We had thought the winter 
over and gone, and the rainy season past, and, leav- 
ing our winter homes, had only a small and leaky 
tent for our shelter. There are four of us in compa- 
ny. Two of these are young friends, like brothers, 
who left home, and have since remained together, 
industrious, sober, and worthy young men, formerly 
in the employ of one of the Lawrence manufacturing 
companies. The third is a sailor — noble-hearted, 
sincere, frank, and full of fun and glee, yet a most 
persevering and hard-working miner. 



SMALL SUCCESS. 115 

Feb. 20th. Our first day's labor has given to each 
of us 45 cents. We have worked in a loose, talcose 
slate, on the edges of the stream. The gold is here 
coarser than in the rivers. 

Feb. 21st. Have to-day made $1 each. Finding 
a place which seemed favorable, lying upon the bed 
of the stream, we began to dig down and throw off 
the top soil. We were soon interrupted by some 
persons, who said we could not work there, as they 
claimed it. We inquired why they had not left their 
pick or spade there, according to the custom. They 
replied that all the miners there were bound to stand 
by each other in maintaining their claims, which 
were known to each other. We find that most of 
the ground is held in this way, without being marked 
off or designated. The present alcalde, it is said, 
holds thirty of these claims. 

Feb. 22d. Two of the company went over to the 
Stanislaus to prospect. In the place of gold, they 
brought back with them a bouquet of wild flowers, 
which would have graced the centre-table of any par- 
lor. Our day's labor gave ^1 12 to each. We have 
been ejected from two claims to-day, after working 
some time upon them. It seems that comparatively 
a few persons have undertaken to monopolize most 
of the gold soil in the gulch. They have driven off 
a large number of French miners from what is called 
'' French Bar," and have likewise taken possession 
of that. 

Feb. 23d, We have to-day divided our forces 
Two of us commenced sinking a hole upon French 
Bar, while the others went to a small stream run- 



116 ADVERSE EVENTS. 

ning through an extent of table-land on the top of 
the mountain. Those on the bar below, of course, 
labored without present remuneration, as a deep ex- 
cavation must be made, requiring our united efforts 
for a week or ten days. Those on the hill have made 
enough to divide ^5 10 to each of us. 

Feb. 25th. Those from the mountain have brought 
home $5 60 to each. We have been delayed in our 
work in the valley by the caving in of the dirt upon 
us, owing to the rain. At last we were compelled 
to abandon it for the present. 

During the last night we had a violent snow-storm, 
which broke down our tent over our heads. 

Feb. 26th. We commenced working upon another 
'ilaim, but were again driven from it. Appealed to 
the alcalde, who decided against us, but at the same 
time pointed to another place, farther from the stream, 
where he advised us to work. We had spent two 
hours in digging here, when two miners laid claim 
to the ground, and soon brought the alcalde, who 
said it w^as a misunderstanding, and that he had in- 
tended to give us another place, upon which he then 
stood. There was then no doubt, and we worked all 
the afternoon upon that place. From the mount- 
ain w^e received $1 87 each. To our joy, we have 
found a plant which makes an excellent salad. It 
grows abundantly about us. We have lived so long 
without vegetables that this is a luxury. 

Feb. 27th. It has been a cold day, with occasional 
dashes of snow. On reaching^ our claim in the val- 
ley, we found a miner in possession. On appealing 
to the alcalde, who had so decidedly given us the 



STANISLAUS- 117 

pla e only yesterday, to our surprise lie again de- 
cided against us. Those upon the mountain made 
^6 62 to each of us. We all abandoned the valley, 
only retaining our claim upon the French Bar, where 
we left our crow-bar as our legal representative. 

Feb. 28th. We had barely reached our place of la- 
bor this morning, upon the mountain, when it came 
on to rain so violently as to drive us home. We have 
spent the day in our tent, reading, writing, cooking, 
and sleeping. 

March 4th, Monday evening. We have been kept 
from work for several days by the rain. Improved 
the time in prospecting upon the Stanislaus. Heard 
of a ravine near the G-reen Springs where much gold 
has been found. In the fall, when I was at Mr. Islip's, 
I met an eccentric man named Texas Jack. He told 
me that, early in the spring previous, while passing 
to the Stanislaus mines by a nearer path across the 
mountains, he had prospected in a ravine, and from 
one pan full of dirt had taken nearly a pound of gold. 
I took the direction to the place, but, having learned 
not to be led by such wonderful stories, I never vis- 
ited the spot. Some miners, a few weeks since, hap- 
pened upon this very place, and, before their secret 
was discovered, had made $8000. Several others 
had done well there. , 

March 5th. We have all worked together upon the 
mountain to-day. During the forenoon the vein ran 
out, and was nowhere to be found again. We made 
many trials, but without success. Made $2 06 each. 

March 6th. We worked in a ravine where a few 
rich deposits have been found. One of our number, 



118 DRENCHING RAINS. 

while working with his knife, in a few moments took 
out three lumps, which together were worth ^21 75 ; 
but, during the whole of the day, the others of the 
company did not make 25 cents. The fields and the 
mountain sides begin to be clothed with the most 
beautiful and variegated flowers. I had heard and 
read much of the flowers of California, but they far 
surpass my highest anticipations. They spring up 
at the close of the rainy season, thrive amid frost and 
snow, live a short life of exceeding beauty, and soon 
die, cut down by the heat of the dry season. 

March 7th. We were driven in by the rain this 
afternoon, after having made $1 25 each. 

March 16th, Saturday. Since my last date, more 
than a week since, we have dug to the bottom of our 
claim, though it caved in several times upon us.' We 
were so deep in the ground that we could not throve 
out the dirt, and were compelled to throw it up upon 
a platform, and then from the hole. After digging 
down eighteen feet, we were troubled with water, 
which came in upon us so fast as to require one to 
be kept bailing much of the time. At last we reached 
the bottom, washed the gold-dirt carefully, and, as 
the result of a week's labor for four of us, we shared 
the sum of $1 87. We have had severe and con- 
tinued rain^. Every thing is completely drenched. 
Our clothes, our blankets, our provisions, are all wet 
and moldy. Our fire is extinguished. The water 
stands in puddles under the pine boughs beneath our 
blankets. We were compelled to cut small drains 
from the middle of the tent to the large drain which 
surrounds it, and throw away the wet boughs, which 



A SABBATH. 119 

Jack calls our feathers. Then we kindled a large 
fire in the tent to dry it. The playful stream, which 
lately ran by us so harmless, now roars and rages, 
and is yet rising. The miners are pitching their 
tents farther up the hill. 

March 17th, Sunday. It was a beautiful morning. 
The sun shone out clear and bright. "We hung out 
our clothes and blankets to dry. The birds sang 
their sweetest notes. All things seemed to be filled 
with grateful love to the Creator and Preserver of all. 
Surely our hearts should not be less disposed to de- 
vout praise and adoration. It was pleasant to follow 
in the services of worship, as we thought it was be- 
ing conducted at home, and to make a sanctuary of 
our own hearts. By allowing a difference of about 
three hours between the time at home and here, we 
could enjoy this pleasure, and, at the same time with 
friends so far from us, be engaged in the duties of 
worship. These were the meetings of the heart — the 
reunions of faith ; and they strengthened us, and led 
us to trust more sincerely in the good promises of 
our Father. 

March 18th. Formed, to-day, a company for trad- 
ing purposes. Three of us gave each ^100. With 
this ^300, one of our number has gone down to Stock- 
ton to purchase goods. The rest of us went over, this 
morning, to the Stanislaus, to prospect. During the 
ramble, I had collected twenty-nine varieties of flow- 
ers, some of them most beautiful. 

April 1st. During the remainder of the month, and 
in the absence of our companion at Stockton, we made 
but $4 28 each. The weather became moderate, and 



120 PECULIARITIES OF A FRENCHMAN. 

the dry season seemed to he setting in. The wind 
kept steady from the dry quarter. The peculiarities 
of a Frenchman working near us have amused us. 
Rain or shine, he is always seen without his hat. 
He carries his rifle over his shoulder, and several pis- 
tols and his knife in his belt. When he reaches his 
claim, he puts down a pistol on each side of him, and 
his hole resembles a fort, of which he is the undis- 
puted owner. He came from New York with his 
son. He was doing a business there worth $2000 a 
year to him, and gave ^5000 for their outfit. In the 
ten months since he left home, he has made nothing. 

There is a company here from York county, Penn- 
sylvania, numbering fourteen strong, hard-working 
men. They have made but ^50 the last four weeks, 
or an average of 14 cents a day to each one. 'Dur- 
ing this time we have been exposed, every or every 
other day, to severe rains or snows, the ice being 
sometimes half an inch thick. Crowds of miners 
still flock in here, attracted by the fabulous reports 
of the richness of these mines. Some have done well 
— a few very well — while the miners generally have 
not made enough to support them. 

Our trading operation did not amount to any thing. 
The expenses of traveling, transportation of goods, 
time, &c., ate up the profits. I have to-day received 
a letter from some friends and traveling companions 
from Philadelphia, inviting me to visit them with ref- 
erence to some mining operations for the summer. 
They are living at Jacksonville, on the Tuolumne 
River, some miles distant from us. 

April 2d. To-day have walked over to Jackson- 



HOUSES OF JACKSONVILLE. 121 

ville, where I was greeted with a cordial welcome. 
This is quite a settlement. There are some com- 
fortable houses here. As in every other settlement, 
the houses are of every possible variety, according to 
the taste or means of the miner. Most of these, even 
in winter, are tents. Some throw up logs a few feet 
high, filling up with clay between the logs. The 
tent is then stretched above, forming a roof. When 
a large company are to be accommodated with room, 
or a trading depot is to be erected, a large frame is 
made, and canvas is spread over this. Those who 
have more regard to their own comfort or health, 
erect log or stone houses, covering them with thatch 
or shingles. I have seen some very good houses at 
Aqua Frio made and roofed with slate. Some com- 
fortable wigwams are made of pine boughs thrown 
up in a conical form, and are quite dry. Many only 
spread a piece of canvas, or a blanket, over some 
stakes above them, while not a few make holes in 
the ground, where they burrow like foxes. The cov- 
ers of these sometimes extend above ground, and are 
roofed with a plaster of clay, looking like so many 
tombs. The Mexicans and Chilinos put up rude 
frames, which they cover with hides. In two cases 
I have seen a kind of basket, looking like a large 
nest, made fast among the branches, high up in the 
trees. These may have been used by the Califor- 
nians to guard against wild beasts. The huts of the 
Indians are of various kinds, always rude in their 
construction. They are similar to the wigwams of 
the wild Indians found in the Western States. There 
is one house, however, which deserves a passing no- 



122 REMOVAL TO JACKSONVILLE. 

tice. It is named Tamascal. It is made under 
ground, in the vicinity of the Indian settlement. In 
this the sick and infirm are sweated. This is a bar- 
barous custom, and often ends the life of the poor 
patient. 

"We have spent much of the night in conversing 
on our plans, and I have determined to remove to this 
place. My friend, Mr. A., invites me to share with 
him. his tent. He offers also to accompany me to 
Mormon Grulch to-morrow for my provisions, &c. 

April 4th. Yesterday we walked over to the Grulch, 
where I made my few arrangements, received from 
my companions there the exact amount which I had 
deposited with them for trading purposes, and, hav- 
ing taken leave this morning, we returned, bringing 
sixty pounds between us, to Jacksonville. 



-EXCITING SPORT. 123 



CHAPTER V. 

SOUTHERN MINES CONTINUED. 

BFLES OF AN ENCAMPMENT HARt's BAR COMPANY ARTICLES OF 

AGREEMENT CANAL AQUEDUCT RESULTS OF MINING. 

April 5th. Having arranged all our matters, also 
inclosed and dug up a spot for a garden, and planted 
potatoes, turnip, cabbage, and other seed, we started 
this afternoon, under the direction of Colonel M., 
upon a scientific prospecting tour. This gentleman 
has spent his life in the gold mines of Greorgia, and 
possesses great experience and skill in the business 
of mining. We spent some hours upon the Kanacca 
Creek, making one excavation after another, down 
to the rocks, the colonel panning and testing each. 
We had no success. The colonel could show a few 
specks of fine gold in every pan, but, like all old min- 
ers, threw it out as not worth preserving. Finding 
our efforts fruitless, we climbed the sides of a high 
mountain, hanging over Jacksonville, to obtain a view 
of the country. There was not much in the view to 
please, but we soon found ourselves enjoying a most 
exciting sport. It was that of rolling down large 
stones from the summit over the precipitous sides of 
the mountain, and watching them as they rushed, 
leaped, bounded, crashing and tearing far away into 
the valley. 

It is yet too early to do much in the river diggings, 
except in the making of canals, and other prepara- 



124 CANAL-MAKING. 

tions for working the channel when the rivers are 
low. A large company have been thus engaged at 
this place for six months. Their canal is a stupen- 
dous work for this country, and is intended to drain 
more than a mile of the river. They expect to make 
at least ^10,000 for each member. Their shares are 
sold at f 1200. They are governed by strict regula- 
tions, and their officers consist of a president — a most 
worthy, efficient man — a vice-president, a secretary, 
a treasurer, and a board of directors. They have 
some of America's best and most esteemed citizens. 
One of their number is B., of New England, an orig- 
inal, and always full of fun. His wit and his anec- 
dotes do much to keep up the spirits of his compan- 
ions. With his good humor, he possesses also a good 
heart. One very warm day I passed the canal wliere 
they had been at work, but were resting a short time 
under the shade of a tree. As they were rising to 
resume their spades and picks, B. said, "Keep your 
seats, gentlemen!" Then he continued, evidently 
under the impression that his own quiet lounge was 
at an end unless he could contrive to interest his list- 
eners by spinning one of his yarns, " That reminds 
me," said he, " of an old lady in our town, who was 
very self-conceited, and withal somewhat deaf. One 
Sunday she came to church very late. As she en- 
tered, the congregation, which was a crowded one, 
were rising for prayer. Thinking that the stir was 
on her account, and that all were rising to offer her 
a seat, she spoke out, loud enough to be heard half 
way up the aisle, ' Keep your seats, gentlemen ! keep 
your seats ! don't rise for me I' So, gentlemen," he 



APPEARANCE OF THE COMPANY. 125 

continued, pulling one of his companions, who had 
risen, back again into his seat, " keep your seats !" 
A stranger, standing upon the bank of their canal, 
and looking down upon such a gang of Irish-appear- 
ing, hard-working miners, habited in their red flannel 
shirts, rough as the grisly bear, long beards, long hair, 
old hats, no shoes, or shoes variously patched, would, 
hardly believe that there were those among them ac- 
customed to the etiquette of Broadway and Chestnut 
Street, carrying beneath that rough exterior all which 
made them valued friends and citizens, faithful hus- 
bands and fathers. There was among them the neph- 
ew of Sir Robert Peele, who was accustomed to the 
gayety and fashion of a life at court. The miners 
are like the gold they seek, surrounded with dirt, 
rough looking, yet often possessing that sterling worth 
which will give them currency among the good, the 
gifted, and the beautiful. 

As the bars upon our rivers are being occupied by 
such communities, it may not be uninteresting to 
know by what rules and regulations such communi- 
ties are governed. Those here presented were drawn 
up by experienced lawyers, and men of wise heads 
and good hearts, and may serve as illustrating the 
mode of government common among the miners. 

The following laws and regulations for the inter- 
nal government of the encampment of Jacksonville 
were passed at a meeting held in the town for that 
purpose, in front of Colonel Jackson's store, on the 
20th of January, 1850 : 



126 RULES OF THE COMPANY. 

Article I. 

The officers of this district shall consist of an al- 
calde and sheriff, to be elected in the usual manner 
by the people, and continue in office at the pleasure 
of the electors. 

Article II. 

In case of the absence or disability of the sheriff, 
the alcalde shall have power to appoint a deputy. 

Article III. 

Civil cases may be tried by the alcalde, if the par- 
ties desire it ; otherwise they shall be tried by a jury. 

Article IY. 

All criminal cases shall be tried by a jury of eight 
American citizens, unless the accused should desire 
a jury of twelve persons, who shall be regularly sum- 
moned by the sheriff, and sworn by the alcalde, and 
shall try the case according to the evidence. 

Article Y. 

In the administration of law, both civil and crim- 
inal, the rule of practice shall conform, as near as 
possible, to that of the United States, but the forms 
and customs of no particular state shall be required 
or adopted. 

Article YI. 

Each individual locating a lot for the purpose of 
mining, shall be entitled to twelve feet of ground in 



RULES OF THE COMPANY. 127 

width, running "back to the hill or mountain, and for- 
ward to the centre of the river or creek, or across a 
gulch or ravine (except in cases hereinafter provided 
for) ; lots commencing in all cases at low- water 
mark, and running at right angles with the stream 
where they are located. 

Article YII. 

In cases where lots are located according to Arti- 
cle VI., and the parties holding them are prevented 
by the water from working the same, they may be 
represented by a pick, shovel, or bar, until in a con- 
dition to be worked ; but should the tool or tools 
aforesaid be stolen or removed, it shall not dispossess 
those who located it, provided he or they can prove 
that they were left as required ; and said location 
shall not remain un worked longer than one week, if 
in condition to be worked, otherwise it shall be con- 
sidered as abandoned by those who located it (except 
in cases of sickness). 

Article YIII. 

No man or party of men shall be permitted to hold 
two locations, in a condition to be worked, at the 
same time. 

Article IX. 

No party shall be permitted to throw dirt, stones, 
or other obstructions upon located ground adjoining 
them. 



128 RULES OF THE COMPANY. 



Article X. 



Should a company of men desire to turn the course 
of a river or stream for the purpose of mining, they 
may do so (provided it does not interfere with those 
w^orking below them), and hold and work all the 
ground so drained ; but lots located within said 
ground shall be permitted to be worked by their own- 
ers, so far as they could have been worked without 
the turning of the river or stream ; and this shall not 
be construed to affect the rights and privileges here- 
tofore guarantied, or prevent redress by suit at law. 

Article XI. 

No person coming direct from a foreign country 
shall be permitted to locate or work any lot within 
the jurisdiction of this encampment. 

Article XII. 

Any person who shall steal a mule, or other ani- 
mal of draLight or burden, or shall enter a tent or 
dwelling, and steal therefrom gold-dust, money, pro- 
visions, goods, or other articles, amounting in value 
to one hundred dollars or over, shall, on conviction 
thereof, be considered guilty of felony, and suffer 
death by hanging. Any aider or abettor therein 
shall be punished in like manner. 

Article XIII. 

Should any person willfully, maliciously, and pre- 
meditatedly take the life of another, on conviction of 
the murder, he shall suffer death by hanging. 



RULES OF THE COMPANY. 129 

Article XIV. 

Any person convicted of stealing tools, clothing, or 
other articles, of less value than one hundred dollars, 
shall he punished and disgraced hy having his head 
and eye-hrows close shaved, and shall leave the en- 
campment within twenty- four hours. 

Article XV. 

The fee of the alcalde for issuing a writ or search- 
warrant, taking an attestation, giving a certificate, 
or any other instrument of writing, shall he five dol- 
lars ; for each witness he may swear, two dollars ; 
and one ounce of gold-dust for each and every case 
tried hefore him. 

The fee of the sheriff in each case shall he one 
ounce of gold-dust, and a like sum for each succeed- 
ing day employed in the same case. 

The fee of the jury shall he to each juror half an 
ounce in each case. 

A witness shall he entitled to four dollars in each 
case. 

Article XVI. 

"Whenever a criminal convict is unahle to pay the 
costs of the case, the alcalde, sheriff, jurors, and wit- 
nesses shall render their services free of remunera- 
tion. 

Article XVII. 

In case of the death of a resident of this encamp- 
ment, the alcalde shall take charge of his effects, and 



130 REMOVAL TO SAVAGe's DIGGINGS. 

dispose of them for the benefit of his relatives or 
friends, unless the deceased otherwise desire it. 

Article XVIII. 

All former acts and laws are hereby repealed, and 
made null and void, except where they conflict with 
claims guarantied under said laws. 

Abner Pitts, Jr., Sec'y. 

Jacksonville, Jan. 20, 1850. 

April 15th. Many rumors reached us respecting 
certain rich diggings ten miles distant, among the 
mountains. They are named Savage's diggings, and 
lie upon or near the Rattlesnake Creek. Large num- 
bers of miners have been for some time going in that 
direction, while multitudes, who have been but to be 
disappointed, are returning. One of our friends, the 
president of the Jacksonville company, left for this 
place, promising to send us back information as to 
his success. We were therefore much gratified, the 
next day, to receive intelligence of the most encour- 
aging character, accompanied by a message for us 
to hasten up as soon as possible. We made our ar- 
rangements very hastily — stewed venison, baked sev- 
eral loaves of bread, and made some pies of the red 
berry called manzanita, which has some resemblance 
to the cherry. It grows upon a shrub ten feet high, 
the bark of which is smooth, and of bright orange 
color. On the 11th instant we started for Savage's 
diggings, in our way clambering up one of the steep- 
est mountains I have ever seen. After a very fa- 
tiguing walk, we reached the ground by the middle 



SMALL SUCCESS. 131 

of the afternoon, and were so anxious to try our luck 
among the crowd of adventurers, that we commenced 
prospecting at once. Our friend, who had come up 
hefore us, had been successful the first day ; but all 
this was over before we reached him. Yery little 
gold rewarded our labors. As night came on, threat- 
ening to be a cold one, we prepared to pass it as 
comfortably as we might. Piling up logs and brush, 
a bright blaze shed its cheering influence upon us. 
"Wrapping our blankets about us, and stretohing our 
feet to the fire, we slept soundly. 

Our stay upon the mountain was brief. There 
was so little encouragement that it was considered 
best to retrace our steps. Lame, hungry, and tired, 
we arrived the next night at our encampment near 
Jacksonville. 

During the following week we worked upon the 
banks of the river, with but small success. One day 
we made $2 50 each, and the other days we made 
nothing. 

May 1st. Since my last date, we have not made 
enough to buy us our provisions. Much of the time, 
my companions being engaged upon the canal, I la- 
bored by myself. One day I made $6 ; and then, for 
a week, did not average 6 cents a day : so uncertain 
is the employment of mining. Cases are very fre- 
quent of persons making $100 in a day, and some- 
times in a single hour, and the whole week follow- 
ing making nothing. I heard of a case which illus- 
trates this point. A young man of rather indolent 
habits, and without the perseverance and application 
which, it would be supposed, are necessary to insure 



132 

success in mining, happened into a valuable claim. 
Hiring a man to aid him, he took out, in six weeks, 
^4500. Near him was a company of six industrious 
and persevering miners. They labored on assidu- 
ously, week after week, for a period of four months, 
and at the end of that time they had all made about 
$1500. We are hoping for better success in the riv- 
er diggings when the water is low. At present there 
is very little being accomplished. Laborers may be 
hired at $2 50 and $3 a day. 

May 15th. During the three days immediately fol- 
lowing my last date, I made, while working by my- 
self, $17. "Was invited to join a few miners work- 
ing near me, who intend to organize a company for 
the purpose of mining at Hart's Bar — a place two 
miles below Jacksonville — when the river shall *be 
low enough to be worked. All of these are South- 
ern gentlemen. One of them, a nephew of Commo- 
dore Turner, U. S. N., lost a fortune by a sudden de- 
cline in the price of cotton, and, with the hope of re- 
trieving his condition, came to California. He has 
messing with him two young friends, one from An- 
napolis, Maryland, the other from Mobile, Alabama. 
There is also in the company a person who has spent 
eight years in the gold mines of G-eorgia, and pos- 
sessing great skill in tracing up a vein of gold. I 
was not long in deciding to connect myself with 
them, and the next day we labored together. 

One day last week, as I was walking down from 
.Jacksonville, where I had been to purchase provis- 
ions, I saw a number of men dragging some heavy 
object to the edge of a hill hanging over me. Pres- 



FEASTING ON A BEAR. 133 

ently they pushed it over the brow, and it came tum- 
bling, like a bag of wool, over and over, down the 
side of the mountain. It was a grisly bear, which 
had just been killed, and which weighed six hundred 
pounds. As the river was too high to allow crossing 
that evening to my camp, I accepted an invitation 
from the miner who had killed the bear to be his 
guest for the night. We feasted upon the flesh, 
which was tender and sweet. During the following 
week we had no success in gold-digging, the river 
being too high. It was also too early to commence 
working upon our canal ; but on May 10th we or- 
ganized into a company, put up stakes with flags, 
designating our claim, and made advertisement of 
the same in Jacksonville, leaving a certified copy 
with the alcalde. Then we adjourned, to meet for 
work on the 4th of July, in the mean time having a 
common purse, and sharing mutually in the profits 
of the whole till that time. A part of the company 
went up to the Rattlesnake Creek, prospecting. At 
this time an association — named the Adelphi Min- 
ing Association — was formed, chiefly of miners from 
Jacksonville, numbering twenty-nine persons. Their 
object was to drain a portion of the channel of Woods's 
Creek, in which was a deep hole, nearly the width 
of the creek, and twenty yards in length. The place 
is two miles above the junction of the creek with the 
Tuolumne. Much gold had been found all along the 
banks, encouraging the belief that, could we drain 
the stream and work the bed of it, it would " pay 
well." The company was a very mixed one. There 
were the good and the bad, the serious and the gay. 



lo4 LABOR BEGUN AT HART'S BAR. 

As there was notliing else at this time to occupy my 
attention, and as it was expected to work out the 
claim before it would be possible to work in the riv- 
er, I accepted an invitation to join this company. 
With seventy pounds' burden upon my back, I walked 
up from Hart's Bar, and accepted an invitation from 
a miner to use his tent during his absence. Last 
night I slept upon the ground, spreading my blankets 
upon a mat at the bottom of the tent. Here I slept 
alone, and at a distance from any other encampment. 
This noon, coming up to cook my dinner, a large 
snake crept from under the mat in the tent, and 
quickly disappeared in a hole near by. With a spade 
I dug him out, and, after killing him, found that he. 
measured three feet ten inches. I don't know his 
name, but he has a flat head, looks very brassy ,-and 
has a sharp horn at the tail. It answers the descrip- 
tion of the horned snake. It is said that, taking the 
end of its tail in its mouth, it will form a perfect hoop 
with its body, rolling rapidly over till it reaches the 
object at which it aims, upon which it inflicts a se- 
vere, and sometimes fatal blow, with the horn in the 
tail. As I am disposed to shun the society of such 
suspicious creatures, I have just swung my hammock 
outside the tent, between two trees. 

June 1st. The Adelphi Company commenced their 
labors on the 16th ult. A¥e were early at work, and 
toiled cheerfully on, sustained by the hope that we 
were about to meet with success. I hardly dared 
to give myself up to the bright, golden anticipations 
of my companions ; and still they seemed well found- 
ed and reasonable. The gold had been traced, in nu- 



GREAT DISAPPOINTxAIENT. 135 

merous ricli layers and veins, down to the very edges 
of the deep hole in the channel. Doubtless, then, as 
it would naturally sink down, and settle at the low- 
est point, washed in by every freshet, if that point 
could be reached, we should find a rich deposit. A 
canal must be made so deep as to drain the bottom 
of this hole, and then a dam must turn the water 
around the hole, through a new channel. The ca- 
nal was cut through solid slate. The work was very 
heavy, requiring the largest bars and picks. We 
worked all the time in the water. After nine days' 
labor, we at length completed the canal, which is 
about one hundred feet in length, four in width, and 
five in depth. The only fear was lest it should not 
effectually drain the hole, without which all our la- 
bor was lost. We made the dam on the tenth day, 
and anxiously awaited the result. Fears were ex- 
pressed, but we left at night, to meet in the morn- 
ing, by which time the water would have been re- 
duced to its level. In the morning we were there, 
and found, after all we could do, that there were three 
feet of water in the hole we wished to drain. Noth- 
ing but steam forcing-pumps would have enabled 
us to prosecute the work, and we silently and sadly 
abandoned it. I went up to my tent, and was there 
alone. All my efforts had failed. I was already 
deeply in debt for my provisions. Had I any pros- 
pect of success ? Could I hope even to make enough 
to enable me to return to my family ? The future 
seemed dark to me. I was desolate and disheart- 
ened. In the midst of my sadness and gloom, there 
came a whisper ! A voice dear to me had spoken it 



136 HOPE AND PERSEVERANCE. 

before in my sorrow ; memory now brought back the 
same voice, whispering to me, 

" Fear not, but tiaist in Providence !" 

That voice had never failed to cheer and comfort 
me, and it failed not now. That kind Providence 
had ever blessed me, and I could trust on, and hope 
ever ! 

The gold-digger may not stand still. No stone 
must be left unturned — ^the treasure may lie beneath 
the next. This is the miner's work ; he must spend 
his efforts and his years in rolling over stones, even 
though his heart is sick with hope deferred — it may 
be under the next. 

I had cooked my dinner with my breakfast — some 
venison and bread, with a dish of beans and a dipper 
of coffee. Groing to take my dinner, I found 'the 
whole gone — eaten clean and the coffee drank, prob- 
ably by some miner more hungry than myself. I 
acknowledged myself indebted to some one, as, by 
taking my thoughts from myself, and giving me em- 
ployment, he did me a kindness. 

The next day I came up into the mountains to join 
my companions at Rattlesnake Creek. It was late 
at night when I reached their camp, which was a 
wild spot beneath some trees. A camp-fire, dimly 
burning, lighted me to the place. The pure mount- 
ain air and my long mountain ramble gave me a 
good appetite, for which the kindness of my friends 
provided most amply. Our prospect of success here 
is good. Some miners have done very well. We 
have been engaged for a few days in turning the wa- 
ter of the creek, that we may w^ork in the channel. 



CONDITION AT RATTLESNAKE CREEK. 137 

"We lead here a strangely wild life. As we had no 
mules to bring our provisions, implements for cook- 
ing and labor, &c., we were obliged to bring them 
ourselves. We therefore left behind us every thing 
which could by any possibility be dispensed with. 
An iron pan, which we use for washing gold, serves 
also for boiling our coffee. A frying-pan is our only 
cooking utensil. In this one of the company — who 
leaves work before the others for the purpose — fries 
some pork, which is rancid, and then, in the fat, fries 
some flour batter. After it is done on one side, he 
tosses it whirling up, catching it as it comes down 
upon the other side, which is then fried in turn. We 
have neither knife, fork, spoon, nor plate. A spade 
answers very well for a plate. We use coffee with- 
out sugar, bread without salt, salad without vinegar. 

Our prospects so far are not favorable. Four of us 
were at work, when a pretty vein of gold was discov- 
ered, passing down the channel and into the bank. 
We have to-day made $18 25 each. 

June 2d. The vein has run up into the bank, and 
all our efforts to find it are in vain. This wild mount- 
ain creek is fast filling up with miners. Some con- 
siderable sums have been taken out. Along the whole 
length of the creek are closely scattered groups of 
Mexicans, Chilinos, Indians, Europeans, Americans. 
At the head of the creek, upon an extensive plain, 
several large lumps of gold have been found, and a 
company has been organized to drain and work the 
lower part of the plain. 

June 5tli. We are still at work at the old place — 
still hoping somewhere to find the lost vein. We 



138 TROUBLE WITH INDIANS. 

have sunk several holes at some distance from the 
channel, in the bank, thinking thus to intercept the 
treasure we have lost. While thus engaged, a mes- 
senger arrived from the head of the oreek^a set- 
tlement named " Big Oak," located upon the plain I 
have mentioned — calling for all the men and guns, as 
the Indians had attacked them. Not having any in- 
clination to join in the fight, I remained at the camp. 
One American and a few Indians were killed, and sev- 
eral Indians severely wounded. The quarrel arose 
between the chief of the Indians and an American, 
who were both drunk. After the flight of the In- 
dians, their encampment was robbed, and it was 
with difficulty that a few humane persons present 
interfered to prevent the cruel treatment of some 
aged and sick females left behind. 

June 8th. For several days the Indians have kept 
us in a state of alarm. All the white men upon the 
creek were summoned to meet at a log house, which 
they fortified, to guard against a night attack. It 
was said that fifty Indian warriors from the Merce- 
des were on the way to attack us. During the next 
day the excitement was increased by the rumor that 
the attack was to take place during that night. Near- 
ly all left for the lower settlements, or assembled at 
the log house. "We remained quietly at our camp, 
only taking the precaution to extinguish our camp- 
fires. 

June 9th. The Indians have to-day manifested 
their desire of peace by returning to the settlement, 
digging up and burning, according to their custom, 
the bodies of their chief and the other Indians who 



EIGHT days' gain. 139 

had Leen killed. All is quiet, and the miners are re- 
turning in crowds. Mr. S., the Greorgia miner, hav- 
ing heard that six Mexicans had made seventy-five 
pounds of gold in ten days, in a ravine near us, went 
over to-day to see the place. He found every foot of 
it occupied. There is much sickness at the mines. 
Many whose cases would yield to a little kind nurs- 
ing, if they were promptly attended, become desper- 
ately ill, and often die from neglect of the early symp- 
toms. We often hear of instances of success in min- 
ing, some of them most remarkable. 

At Sullivan's Camp, a few miles from us, a Dutch- 
man followed a vein of gold down to a large rock, 
which continually became richer as he progressed. 
Aided by some friends, he succeeded in removing 
the rock, and in two hours' time took out forty pounds 
of the precious ore. 

June 21st. Since my last date we have not made 
enough to defray our expenses, but to day have add- 
ed to the treasury ^32. 

June 22d. Company made 50. 

23d. Sunday. 

24th. Company made . . . . . 25. 



25th. 
26th. 
27th. 
28th. 
29th. 



83. 
98. 

68. 

84. 
7. 



In eight days $447. 

Dividend to each of five members, f 89 40 ; aver- 
age per day to each one, $11 17. 

The Sabbath is generally observed as a day of 



140 HOW SUNDAY IS KEPT. 

physical rest by tlie miners. There are few who en- 
gage in mining upon this day. But all find it indis- 
pensable to give attention to some necessary person- 
al business. In every encampment are found those 
who improve the day in reading the Bible and other 
books, and in singing the songs of home in a strange 
land. Still, it must be confessed, there is more gam- 
bling and drinking upon that day than upon all the 
other days of the week. When there is preaching 
at the mines, which is rarely the case, it is well at- 
tended, and listened to with respect. 

July 29th. We continued at Rattlesnake Creek till 
the 3d of July, but without much success. On that 
day we came down from the high mountains, to at- 
tend the meeting of the Hart's Bar Company on the 
4th. On our way down, an old Californian shdwed 
us the valuable medicinal plants " Buena herba" 
and " Canchalagua." We found much alarm prevail- 
ing at Jacksonville on account of the many murders 
recently committed in the vicinity. A nightly patrol 
has been kept up. The river was very high. Several 
have been drowned in attempting to cross. On the 
morning of the 4th we endeavored to cross at the fer- 
ry. There were nine persons in a boat of the ordinary 
size. Before putting out into the current, which runs 
very rapidly by, we passed by a cluster of young trees 
and bushes in the water. One of the passengers un- 
guardedly caught at one of the bushes, which caused 
the boat immediately to sway about and dip water. 
It was instantly half full, and five of the passengers 
had jumped out, and -were clinging to the bushes. 
The others of us made our way as soon as possible 



VIRGINIA MINER. 141 

to the shore, and then contrived to rescue our com- 
panions from their dangerous situation. 

On that day dined with my kind friend A. from 
Philadelphia, on the bank of the river, near Hawkins- 
ville — a sort of pic-nic, with ' ' porter for two." While 
in the village, I was introduced to a miner from Vir- 
ginia, whose brief history while at the mines is in- 
teresting. On his arrival at San Francisco, about a 
year previous, he purchased a good supply of provi- 
sions, which he packed upon mules, and with a mule- 
teer he started for Deer Creek. Not meeting with 
any person to direct him, he crossed the creek, not 
knowing that it was such. Groing on for some dis- 
tance, he came suddenly, and to his great alarm, to 
a settlement of Indians, who, however, through his 
Mexican muleteer, expressed friendship and a desire 
to trade. He was induced to pitch his tent, and re- 
main with them. The business proved so profitable, 
that he returned to Stockton for a larger supply. In 
a short time he had many Indians working for him, 
and in a few weeks was able to send home $17,000, 
retaining $3000 for his future operations. Since that 
time he has had no success ; had sunk the fund he 
had retained, and was now working as a hired la- 
borer for the means to take him to his family. 

On our way back we met the mail agent, who had 
letters for me. He declines taking gold-dust to San 
Francisco, on account of the danger. Remarked that 
he traveled feeling that he might be shot at any mo- 
ment, and that the assassin might be concealed be- 
hind the next bush. Twelve murders have been com- 
mitted within a week in and near Sonora. There is 



142 COMMENCING AT HARt's BAR. 

SO much alarm that a vokinteer company has heen 
organized, till a regiment of dragoons can be ordered 
here. This state of things is no doubt owing, in part, 
to the heavy tax imposed upon foreigners, which de- 
prives many of them of employment. In consequence, 
they become desperate, often being destitute ,of the 
means with which to purchase their daily supplies. 
They are accordingly driven to steal and to murder. 

The river being yet too high to allow us to com- 
mence our work upon Hart's Bar, we postponed our 
meeting for a week, and returned to the mountains, 
hoping to find another vein of gold ; but our efforts 
were not rewarded. 

On the 9th instant we came down to Hart's Bar to 
attend a company meeting ; but the river being still 
too high for profitable labor, we returned again to the 
mountains, where, and at AVoods's Creek, we have 
worked till this time, not averaging 50 cents a day. 

To-day we have come down to Hart's Bar, to 
make all necessary arrangements — lay in our provis- 
ions, purchase mining tools, pitch our tents, erect 
brush arbors — before we begin the work. I have 
selected a spot for my arbor-home, a little above the 
bar, on a gentle rise, and at a short distance from the 
encampment of my companions, which consists of a 
picturesque group of tents and arbors on the bar be- 
low. Just behind me the mountain ascends abrupt 
and steep. I am making my arbor beneath a large 
pine, the only tree upon the bar. It is called the 
'' medicine-tree," because its pitch is used as a bal- 
sam for all burns and bruises. This tree forms one 
of the supporters of my arbor. Driving into the 



143 

ground three posts, and putting poles across these, 
supported also by branches of the pme, I have cov- 
ered the frame thus formed with brush and boughs, 
throvv^ing them on the top, and interweaving them 
into the sides. This forms for me a cool, shaded 
room, about ten feet square, where I may find a shel- 
ter from the intense heat of the sun, which is to-day 
113^ in the shade. Between a pin driven into the 
tree and a post at the back of the arbor I have swung 
my hammock, in which, dressing myself and creep- 
ing into the bag, as I have already described, I shall 
spread my blankets over me. I can fancy this will 
be a sort of magnetic telegraph office, whence, as 
soon as I am asleep, I shall be transported home with 
lightning speed, and spend many a sweet hour with 
my distant family. On a post in the middle of the 
arbor, which supports also the poles and boughs over- 
head, I have left the short prongs, upon which I hang 
my clothes, bags, &c., excepting the small bag con- 
taining my letters and Daguerreotypes, which hangs 
upon the post at the head of my hammock. My pro- 
visions are stored in the back part of my arbor, while 
my kitchen is all out doors. 

July 30th. We have to-day commenced our labors. 
So much has been said of the mining operations upon 
the rivers, especially upon the Tuolumne, which is 
believed to be very rich, that I am led, for the in- 
formation of my readers, to go more into detail in 
describing this, the closing portion of my mining life. 
The gold is often found, in rich deposits, in the chan- 
nels of these rivers. To be obtained, the river must 
first be turned by dam and canal. As this is an op 



144 

eration requiring the united labor of many individu- 
als, it is customary to form companies, which elect 
their officers, form their laws, and mutually share 
the expense and labor of the preparatory work, and 
also divide equally the profits. 

The Hart's Bar Draining and Mining Company 
was organized in May. The following Articles of 
Agreement were adopted in July, at a meeting of 
the company, when twenty-one entered their names 
as members, and elected their officers. It should 
be remarked that mining associations enjoy all the 
privileges and immunities of corporate bodies ; their 
just claims and rights are sacredly regarded ; and any 
violence done to these rights would be visited by the 
vengeance of all the miners for miles around. No 
code of laws or staff of police could more fully estab- 
lish a miner in the possession of his ten feet square. 
No well-drawn writing, from the royal charter down 
to the simple deed of conveyance, could be a surer 
guarantee. He would not be obliged to wait a te- 
dious process at law, or pay his last dollar for a bill 
of ejectment. The work of restitution and retri- 
bution at the mines is speedy, summary, and ef- 
fective. 

ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT OF THE HART'S BAR DRAIN- 
ING AND MINING COMPANY. 

PREAMBLE. 

"We, the undersigned, having associated ourselves 
together for the purpose of draining and mining that 
part of the Tuolumne River known as Hart's Bar, 
and to work out the portion of the bed of the river 



ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT. 145 

SO drained, do adopt the following articles of agi*ee- 
ment, to govern us in the prosecution of the said 
work : 

Article I. 

This company shall be known by the name of The 
Hart's Bar Draining and Mining Company. 

Article II. 

This company shall not number over twenty-five 
members. 

Article III. 

The officers of this company shall be a president, 
a secretary — who shall likewise perform the duties 
of treasurer — and four directors, which shall be elect- 
ed from its own body, in such manner as they may 
see fit, a majority constituting an election ; and the 
officers so elected shall continue in office during the 
pleasure of the company. 

Article IY. 

It shall be the duty of the president to call all 
meetings of the company, and to preside at them. 
He shall put to vote all motions duly made, and, in 
all cases of a tie in voting, he shall give the casting 
vote. 

Article V. 

The duties of the president shall devolve on the 
chief director in all cases of his absence or disability 
to serve, 

G 



146 rules of the company. 

Article YI. 

It shall be the duty of the secretary and treasurer 
to keep minutes of the proceedings of the company, 
and to take charge of all books and papers belonging 
to the office. He shall keep an accurate account of 
the time, as given him by the directors, and shall re- 
port to the company each Saturday evening, im.me- 
diately after adjourning the work of the day. It 
shall likewise be his duty to take charge of all mon- 
eys belonging to the company, and to pay such de- 
mands upon the same as may come to him approved 
by the company and signed by the president. 

Article VII. 

The board of directors shall discharge the duties 
of engineers. Each director shall keep an accurate 
account of the time employed by each man under his 
charge, and shall report the same to the secretary 
every Friday evening. They shall superintend and 
direct all operations of the company. They shall di- 
vide the company into parties, each party to be head- 
ed by a director, who shall oversee their working, and 
take charge of the daily proceeds of the same, which 
he shall deliver to the treasurer every night, and take 
his receipt therefor. 

Article VIII. 

Of the proceeds arising from the operations of the 

company for the current week, ending on Friday, the 

treasurer shall make a report to the company on the 

next day, in the following manner : The weekly dis- 



RULES OF THE COMPANY. 147 

tribution shall be equal among the members, except 
in cases of absence, when an amount shall be de- 
ducted from his share corresponding with the hourly 
earnings of the company for the week. In cases of 
sickness or unavoidable absence, substitutes may be 
employed, if approved by the directors. 

Article IX. 

All specimens of unusual beauty or value shall be 
sold at auction, and the proceeds put in the treasury. 

Article X. 

The working time of the company shall be from 
seven to twelve o'clock A. M., and from half past one 
to half past five o'clock P. M. ; and each member 
shall be charged at the rate of $3 per hour for the 
time he shall lose, to be paid at or before the regular 
meeting next after the one on which it is reported. 

Article XI. 

All amendments and additions to these Articles of 
Agreement shall be decided upon by a two thirds vote. 

Article XII. 

All applications for membership in this company 
shall be determined by v6tes with black and white 
pebbles ; and two black pebbles shall exclude from 
membership. 

Article XIII. 

Any member wishing to sell his share, the com- 
pany shall have the first right of purchase ; which 



148 RULES OF THE COMPANY. 

if they decline, he may sell it, but only to such per- 
son as the company approves. 

Article XIV. 

No member of this company shall be allowed to 
hold two claims on the river, capable of being worked, 
at the same time. 

The following officers were elected : T. P. Hotch- 
kiss, president ; D. B. Woods, secretary and treas- 
urer; William Marlatt, chief director ; R. E. Thomp- 
son, second director ; F. Ridout, third director. 

I have received into my arbor, as a camp-mate, 
my valued friend M. He is a young sailor — a man 
with a brave heart in danger, but with a kind heart 
to those he loves — rough or gentle, like the ocean he 
has navigated. He has to-day made a bed-frame, 
nailing some bags on the bottom for sacking ; also, 
some camp-stools, while the company's carpenter has 
made me a table ; so that our mining home presents 
an unusual air of comfort. We have sent to Stockton 
for a supply of provisions. M. is a first-rate cook, and 
many of the dishes he can furnish would be relished 
in any place where there are good appetites. The 
living at the mines is much better than it has been. 
We have more vegetables, better flour, and a greater 
variety of provisions generally. Provisions are also 
cheaper than they have been at any time previous. 

The work before us is truly an arduous one, made 
doubly so by the limited means we have of prosecut- 
ing it. The clay for the construction of our canal 



MAKING THE CANAL. 149 

must be carried in hand-barrows, borne between two 
persons, from the side of the hill down a steep bank, 
then along over a stony path to the canal, a distance 
varying from one eighth to one sixth of a mile ; and 
this must be done day after day for weeks. Then the 
lumber for the aqueduct is to be sawed by hand, from 
logs cut and rolled from the tops and sides of the 
mountains, with whip-saws. This part of the busi- 
ness is under the direction of a master architect from 
London. 

Sept. 24th, 1851. We prosecuted both parts of our 
work at the same time. A part were employed in 
carrying the clay to the canal. An account was kept 
one day, and it was ascertained that each barrow was 
carried, during the day, fourteen miles. Since my 
last date I have carried such a barrow four hundred 
and twenty miles. The clay was put in large heaps, 
where we could easily obtain it when it should be 
wanted in the making of the canal. This was a 
most arduous undertaking. Sometimes it must pass 
through a solid ledge of hard asbestos rock, and then 
through deep holes in the river, where it has washed 
into the banks. In such a case, a heavy wall, filled 
with clay, must be made. When completed, the ca- 
nal was six hundred and thirty-eight feet in length, 
and sixteen in width. Making the aqueduct to con- 
vey the water from the canal, which passed through 
Paine's Bar, above us, was the most difficult task. 
The logs, which were cut upon the mountain, were 
rolled to the pits, and then sawed by hand. Piers 
were constructed by, making crates of logs, which 
were firmly pinned together, then sunk in their places 



150 



MAKING THE CANAL. 



hy being filled with large stones. Another large pier 
was made by rolling and carrying stones into the 
river a distance of thirty feet. The sleepers of the 
aqueduct were laid upon this and the laden crates. 
When it was finished, it was a handsome piece of 
workmanship, of which we were justly proud. It 
was one hundred and two feet in length, and twelve 
wide. This kind of labor — yielding no remunera- 
tion, only being preparatory to the more exciting, 
though laborious process of gold-digging — was pros- 
ecuted from July the 30th to this date, Sept. 24th. 
We were awakened at dawn by the second director, 
who came out before his tent, and sang, in a loud, 
clear voice, " Up in the morning early, boys !" That 
song, which often brought me out of my dreams, to 
this day I carry back into my dreams. After a short 
time allowed for taking breakfast, the roll was call- 
ed, and we went to our daily labor. And oh ! when 
night came again, how sweet, after a bath in the 
river, was "the rest of the laboring man!" On the 
20th of September the pleasure was ours of seeing the 
whole channel of the river opposite our bar laid bare 
for our operations. It was 02irs, after contending 
with difficulties, privations, and hardships innumer- 
able, and of no ordinary kind, and which have de- 
prived of health many of our company. It was all 
ourSj with the joyous anticipation of soon receiving 
the reward of our efforts, and returning home with 
at least a competence. About two weeks since — it 
was the 6th instant — we were alarmed by a consid- 
erable rise of the river. While at breakfast upon 
that day, the water of the river became suddenly 



PROSPERITY. 151 

muddy. Soon after we perceived this, intelligence 
was brought down to us from the Jacksonville com- 
pany that they were expecting to see their dam 
washed away. The river continued gradually to 
rise for an hour, when there was a sudden freshet, 
caused by the giving way of some dam above us. 
"We hastened, with the aid of other companies, to 
open the head of the canal, and to roll heavy stones 
into the aqueduct. The water came up to the floor, 
then a few inches above it. "We looked on, expect- 
ing to see all our works, which we had spent weeks 
in completing, at once destroyed. But the water 
ceased to rise, then slowly subsided, showing behind 
it the wet ground and the line of foam, chips and 
dirt marking the limits of the encroachment. Soon 
we were able to return to our labor with lightened 
spirits, and some with other kinds. Many cradles, 
buckets, and other things floated past us in the river. 

The shares of the company immediately advanced 
several hundred dollars. One share was sold for 
^1200, while f 2500 was refused for another. 

Two days since we commenced making a ditch 
under the wall of the canal, to carry ofl" the water 
which leaked through its embankments. Two cra- 
dles were set, and the dirt from the bed of the ditch 
was washed through, and in three hours there was 
deposited in the treasury $176. 

Yesterday we continued to work upon the ditch, 
adding two more cradles, and during the day made 
$415 75. At midnight, and in the rain, we were 
called out to repair the walls of the canal, and stop 
several leaks. The river was very high, and slowly 



152 



CANAL SWEPT AWAY. 



rising. After several hours' night-labor, we succeed- 
ed in stopping every leak but one. In one place the 
water rushed through in a torrent. 

This morning — Sept. 24th — the water was rising 
in its might. Notwithstanding our aqueduct and ca- 
nal, the bed of the river was nearly full. We hast- 
ened to remove all our mining implements. Slowly, 
but surely, the freshet came, till the destruction of 
all our works seemed inevitable. 

We thought not of hunger, though we had been 
laboring hard much of the night and all the morning. 
About ten o'clock there was a pause of fearful sus- 
pense. The rising seemed arrested — might it not be 
on the turn ? For a short time there was hope ; the 
pendulum vibrated each moment between our hopes 
and our fears. We hastened up the hill side — after 
all had been done which could be — to a spot com- 
manding a view of the whole, to see our hopes or our 
fears realized. We perceived at once that the ex- 
istence of all our works depended upon the Paine's 
Bar dam above us. Would that stand the torrent ? 
Should that maintain its position, we were safe ; let 
that go, all would be swept away ! As we kept our 
eyes fixed upon this — it was a quarter of a mile above 
us — the black line of wall was suddenly broken, and 
the torrent poured through a small opening forced in 
the dam, and in a few seconds the river ran foaming 
over the entire length of the wall, which bowed and 
sank before the irresistible force. Then and there 
was heard a sound new and strangely startling to me. 
It was caused by large stones rushing and grinding 
under water, borne on by the tremendous power of 



MAKING WING-DAMS. 153 

the current. It might be imagined that the thousand 
submerged chariots and cars of Pharaoh's host were 
driving impetuously over that river channel. As 
soon as the dam above us gave way, the water rose 
with great rapidity — two, three, four, six, eight feet 
— till it poured over the top of the aqueduct. Still 
it nobly stood, held in its place by the immense 
weight of the water which poured through it from 
the canal above. ^ It was indeed surprising to see a 
thing so light resisting that mad and mighty force. 
It was but a moment I Grently and gracefully it 
yielded, swayed forward, and moved away with the 
ease and rapidity of a thing of life. Thus, in one 
moment, we saw the work of one thousand and tiven- 
ty-nine days done by the company swept away and 
rendered useless. Within five minutes of the time 
when the aqueduct disappeared around the bend of 
the river, a meeting of the company was called, and 
a resolution presented to proceed with our work by 
means of wing-dams. 

Oct. 8th. From the time of the freshet to the 30th 
of Sept., the river was too high to permit us to com- 
mence our new operations. On that day — Monday 
— the directors led the way, shuddering, and actually 
shrieking, from the sudden chill, into the cold stream. 
A line was formed, extending out to the middle of 
the river, those at the end of the line working in four 
feet water, where the current was so strong that our 
feet would often be forced from under us, and we 
would be whirled away down the current, to scrab- 
ble on shore as we could. To appreciate the diffi- 
culties of our arduous and dangerous task, and to 
G 2 



154 Wi^G -DA MS. 

understand the kind of work which was to be done, 
let my reader imagine himself standing by me, and 
looking at what is going on below us, while I describe 
the scene to him. The whole force of the company, 
aided by some thirty Mexicans we have employed to 
work for us, is concentrated upon the wall which is 
to be the head of the dam. This is to run from the 
shore out to the middle of the river, or about forty 
feet. Two walls are thrown up parallel to each oth- 
er, and about two feet apart. The difficulty of this 
is almost inconceivable. We must roll the stones 
and adjust them where there is a rapid current four 
feet in depth. Sometimes a whole section of this 
will be swept off at once, and must be done all over 
again. After the walls are completed, strong cloth 
is spread down against the lower wall, and over its 
whole surface. The space is then tilled up with small 
twigs, sand, and clay. After the wall is carried thus 
to the middle of the river, it must turn, forming a 
right angle, and run down through the middle of the 
river, parallel to the shore, a distance of two hundred 
and fifty feet, till it passes over some falls, by which 
means the water is partially drained from a portion 
of the channel. This portion so drained is then di- 
vided off into pens, which are surrounded by small 
walls, so made as to exclude the water, which is then 
bailed out, and all the space within the walls of the 
pens is thus worked. The cradles are set just over 
the walls, on the outer side, and some six or eight of 
them are sometimes being rocked at the same time, 
supplied with dirt by the dozen or twenty miners in 
the pens. It is a busy scene. It will be seen that 



HARD WORK. 155 

this work is not only laborious, but in an extreme de- 
gree exposing. At times nearly all the company may 
be seen working together, waist deep, in the water, 
which, coming from the Sierra Nevada, is very cold. 
This we must endure, while a burning sun is shining 
hotly down upon the head. 

There are two servants, belonging to members 
of the company, at work with the rest, and right 
hard-working men they are. One of them, who is 
from Mississippi, is as athletic and vigorous a man 
as I have ever seen. If any work is to be done which 
requires great strength, he is called upon ; and he al- 
ways engages in it singing some merry song. The 
other servant is an old man, named Allen, belonging 
to our president, who tells me he shall give him free 
papers when he leaves the country. 

Direct your attention once again to the interesting 
tableau in the river below us. Among the group of 
Mexicans and Americans — black, brown, and white 
— is one remarkable person. He is a tall, stout man, 
having the appearance of one accustomed to com- 
mand, and some of the severity of one who has com- 
manded those who never dared dispute his authority. 
He had been a boatman upon the Mississippi. He 
was our chief director ; and, though he ruled with 
unquestioned sway, he was light-hearted, jovial, and 
free. He was known among us by the name of 
"Red," from the fact that, whenever there was any 
fighting to be done, or when he was '' going upon a 
spree," he put on a red flannel shirt. By our "Ar- 
ticles of Agreement," in the absence of the president, 
the duty of presiding over the meetings devolved upon 



156 *'red" presides at a meeting. 

him, as chief director. At a meeting which was 
called at the regular time of work, the president be- 
ing absent, the chair was to be taken — speaking fig- 
uratively, for such a thing as a chair was unknown 
at the mines — by this remarkable individual. The 
thought that he was so far to submit his own opinion 
to the decision of others as to permit them an oppor- 
tunity of expressing dissent even by their votes, did 
not seem to enter into his calculations. The meeting 
had been called to decide whether or not we should 
work on that Saturday afternoon. Under the cir- 
cumstances, most were in favor of adjourning work 
till Monday morning. What was the dismay of those 
who had anticipated no difficulty in carrying the ques- 
tion in the affirmative, and who came prepared to talk 
down or to talk out all opposition, if they had to talk 
till night, when Red entered with the air of one who 
is for deeds, and not words. He was strongly op- 
posed to the proposed measure. " Boys," he said, as 
he came by, spade in hand, as if on his way to labor, 
impatient of any delay, and waving all ceremony- — 
" Boys, I say, go to work. All who are in favor say 
' Ay !' " One emphatic " Ay V by himself, was the 
only response. " Those who are opposed," he con- 
tinued, at the same time starting on his way, "say 
nothing, and go to work !" In five minutes every 
man was at his post, wondering how it had happened. 
I was desirous, for one, to have the afternoon to my- 
self, as I had promised to preach on the morrow, and 
wanted the time to arrange my thoughts. As it was, 
I selected my subject, studied and arranged my plan, 
while at work in the canal. Early the next day — 



RESULTS OF MINING. 157 

Sunday — I stepped to the entrance of my brush ar- 
bor, and to a post driven into the ground, upon the 
top of which was nailed a chip, hewed flat for the 
purpose, which served for a reading-desk. My au- 
dience were already seated about, some upon rude 
stools, and most upon the ground. 

This afternoon, our wall being completed, and two 
pens, twelve feet square, inclosed, we set our cradles, 
and commenced " rocking." The books of the treas- 
urer exhibit the following results to Nov. 9th, when 
river mining was generally suspended for the season : 

Oct. 8th $50 00 

9th 26 00 

10th. Work upon the wing-dam. 

11th 155 25 

12th 1,280 00 

13th, Sunday 302 00 

14th. "Work upon the wing-dam. 
15th. " " <' " " 
16th. " '' '' " " 

17th 1,404 00 

18th 4,198 00 

19th 894 00 

20th, Sunday. 

21st 1,449 00 

22d 688 00 

23d 1,102 00 

24th 1,034 00 

25th 701 00 

26th 27 50 

27th, Sunday. 

Carried over .... $13,310 75 



158 STATISTICS CONTINUED. 

Brought over $13,310 75 

Oct. 28th 179 00 

" 29th. Work upon the wing-dam. 

" 30th 6 00 

*' 31st. Work upon the wing-dam. 

Nov. 1st 297 25 

'' 2d 437 25 

*' 3d, Sunday. 

" 4th 949 10 

" 5th 809 60 

" 6th 168 00 

'' 7th 547 00 

'' 8th 380 00 

" 9th . . 40 00 

Total .... . . $17,123 95 

Deduct company expenses, viz., 
implements, labor, and incidentals, 

Leaving in the treasury . . $13,595 90 
Dividend to each of twenty-one members of the 
company, $647 42. Average per day, from July 
30th to Nov. 9th, 1850, $7 28. 

A large amount of gold came into the treasury, 
the care of which was somewhat burdensome. It 
puzzled me to know what to do with it. There was 
no lock and key in the place. My arbor was upon 
the hill, retired from the rest of the settlement. There 
were many Mexicans and strangers constantly upon 
the bar, and it was dangerous to have a large amount 
of gold in possession. As a means of security for my- 
self, I changed my quarters every night ; and to se- 
cure the gold, I tied the various packages into one 



HOW THE GOLD WAS KEPT. 159 

bundle, to which I attached one end of a string, ty- 
ing the other end about my wrist. The bundle, so 
secured, I folded within my coat, placing the whole 
beneath my head as a pillow. Any attempt to take 
this from me would have been instantly detected. 

It will be seen, by reference to the dates, that the 
company labored at mining on one Sabbath. When 
it was decided, at a meeting on Saturday, the 12th 
of October, to work the next day, I was allowed to 
enter my protest, which still remains upon the rec- 
ords ; and I was also excused from manual labor. 
By noon of that Sunday, all had left work, and it 
was never even proposed again. 

During the last weeks of our labors, we hired 
many Americans, and more than fifty Mexicans. 
The heavy tax upon foreigners hus driven them to 
seek employment from companies. They may be 
hired at ^4 and $6 a day. These Mexicans, who 
speak imperfect Spanish, are generally very indolent, 
and must be closely watched. Many times in the 
day, whatever may be the business, they will stop, 
take out a small, square piece of white paper, and 
putting upon it a small pinch of loose tobacco, roll it 
into a cigar ito, and lighting it with a piece of punk 
or a match, smoke with apparent relish. The wom- 
en are as fond of their cigaritos as the men. 

A few nights before I left the mines, I accepted 
an invitation from "Red" to accompany him on a 
night fishing expedition. He carried in his hand a 
long and peculiarly pointed spear, with a spring barb, 
which opened as it entered the flesh of the fish, and 
prevented his escape. Several others bore torches 



160 A DESTRUCTIVE BEAR. 

made of light wood, which, while they dazzled the 
fish, showed the spear-man where to strike. After 
two hours' fishing on the banks of the river, we re- 
turned, rewarded for our toil with several large sal- 
mon. 

A remarkable instance of an attack made by a 
bear upon the inmates of a tent occurred lately near 
us. He was no doubt attracted by the smell of the 
fresh meat which was being cooked. Infuriated by 
the resistance which he met, he made a most violent 
attack upon his assailants, killing two men and one 
woman, who was cooking. One of the men and the 
bear lay dead side by side. 

A bird of very large size has frequently flown over 
us, soaring very high in the air, which we have sup- 
posed was the California eagle ; but one, coming With- 
in the range of the rifle, was shot, and fell at our feet 
upon the bar. It proves to be a species of the vul- 
ture, and measures, between the tips of its wings, 
eight feet and eleven inches. The quill which I now 
have is of great size. 

There was upon the bar a case of delirium tre- 
mens, that most fearful display of the Divine dis- 
pleasure against intemperance. The young man was 
from England — had been an officer in the British 
army. Soon after he came to the mines, he gave 
himself up to intemperate habits. He was sudden- 
ly attacked in the nighty imagining himself pursued 
by horrible fiends, which came to torture him. At 
midnight he came rushing into my tent, and almost 
knocked me out of my hammock as he crept under 
it, to conceal himself from his enemies. He would 



SICKNESS ON THE BAR. 161 

then dart through the side of my arbor, densely in- 
terwoven with brush and boughs, and into a tent near 
by, where he narrowly escaped being shot as a rob- 
ber. In the day he would sit near the bank of the 
river, and converse by the hour with imaginary per- 
sons on the hill opposite. He carried on a curious 
courtship with a woman who was dancing over the 
river, surrounded by her fifty children. He request- 
ed me to marry him to this woman of his imagina- 
tion ; and then, soon after, came in trembling, and 
told me that the husband was alive, and in his jeal- 
ous rage was seeking to kill him. 

There was much sickness upon the bar during the 
latter part of the season. Much of this was the re- 
sult of the fearful exposures to which we were sub- 
ject. The sickness at length assumed a malignant 
and dangerous form. It commenced in a violent at- 
tack of diarrhoea, running into symptoms resembling 
the cholera, which was then fatally prevalent in the 
cities of California. The first person attacked was a 
vigorous and strong Grerman sailor. Nothing could 
be learned of him or his friends — even his name was 
unknown to us. We buried him deep in the sand, 
on the banks of the Tuolumne ; and while the buriaJ 
services were being performed, a crowd — not, howev- 
er, of our own members — surrounded the gambling- 
table on the bar. At this time there were three or 
four gambling companies with us, called into life by 
the short-lived success of our mining operations. 

Poor Charlie ! would it lessen the loneliness of 
your last resting-place to know that you " sleep your 
last sleep" bv the side of the gifted and noble-heart- 



162 PEACEFUL DEATH OF RIDOUT. 

ed friend who watched over you night and day in 
your sickness, and who thus contracted his own death 
malady ? Alas ! how sad and overpowering are my 
thoughts, as I stand, for the last time before leavino- 
for my own far-distant home, by the grave of Frank- 
lin H. Ridout, of Annapolis, Maryland ! Soon after 
the death of Charlie, he was prostrated by a most vi- 
olent attack of the same disease. During his short 
sickness, every possible attention and assistance was 
rendered him by a few devoted friends ; but how oft- 
en he must have felt the want of the attentions of 
his own happy home — ^the home of piety and refine- 
ment ! After he had received from his physician the 
intelligence that there was no hope in his case— in- 
telligence to which he listened with Christian resig- 
nation — he sent for me. It was the 21st of October, 
and so warm and genial was the weather that the 
dying man was outside his tent, lying beneath its 
shade. That conversation, and others which fol- 
lowed, I shall never forget. I was the learner, and 
he the teacher. His quiet Christian resignment to 
the will of the Supreme Being, while it was very af- 
fecting, was also consoling to our feelings. But one 
thing he seemed to wish different. " If I might die 
at home," he said, " it would be so sweet !" The 
last sentence he spoke contained the dear and sacred 
name " mother !" His last thought was of her. A 
short time before his death, the sacrament of the 
holy communion was administered to him, at which 
a large number of persons were present. A meeting 
of the company was called in the evening, and the 
following resolutions were passed : 



RESOLUTIONS CONCERNING RIDOUT. 163 

"Whereas it has pleased Ahnighty Grod to take from 
among us a beloved friend and companion, therefore, 

Resolved, 1st. That by the death of Franklin H. 
Ridout we have lost one whom we all esteemed most 
highly for his many virtues. 

Resolved, 2d. That we sincerely sympathize with 
his afflicted mother and relatives in this sad bereave- 
ment. 

Resolved, 3d. That we will attend his funeral to- 
morrow, at twelve o'clock, M. 

Resolved, 4th. That this company will defray the 
expenses of his funeral. 

Resolved, 5th. That a copy of these resolutions be 
sent to the family of the deceased ; and that an invi- 
tation to attend the funeral be extended to the neigh- 
boring companies. 

Daniel B. Woods, Secretary. 

Hart's Bar, Oct. 21, 1849. 

Several were dangerously ill at the time of Mr. 
Ridout's death, and, soon after, our worthy president 
was at once prostrated by a similar attack. For 
many hours we watched over him, endeavoring to 
cheer and comfort him. At the last, he came to the 
conclusion that he must die. Sending for me, he 
made me promise to visit his family on Red River, 
and be the bearer to them of the sad intelligence ; 
also of many messages, which he delivered with the 
fortitude of a Christian philosopher ; but once, when 
speaking of his wife, his voice was choked, and the 
strong man turned aside his head to weep. To my 
earnest entreaty that he would postpone the subject 



164 SICKNESS AND RECOVERY OF DR. HOTCHKISS. 

till he was better — indeed, my own feelings were so 
much overcome, that I feared I should lose control 
of myself in his presence — ^he replied that he must 
finish, and then his mind would be at rest. He feared 
not to die, but he would have desired to be at home, 
if it had been the will of God ; but he could not com- 
plain. He gave me, for his family, his journal, a few 
articles of value, and his bag of gold. His tent, cloth- 
ing, tools, &c., he gave to his servant, old Allen, to 
whom he had promised his freedom when he should 
leave the country, and to whom he requested me to 
give free papers in the event of his death. He told 
me, in conclusion, where he wished to be buried, and 
the mode of his burial. Hearing that my valued 
friend, Dr. Candee, of Park Place, New York, was in 
the neighborhood, I sent to him, urgently requesting 
him to visit Dr. Hotchkiss. To my great relief, he 
was soon at his side, and his prescriptions were blessed 
to his recovery. 

These cases of sickness very much hastened the 
breaking up of our mining operations for the season. 
Many of the company left for the mountains, to be 
ready for the winter diggings. 

Nov. 9th. This is my last day at the mines. We 
removed our cradles this morning to the portion of 
the channel from which we had taken out the largest 
amount of gold, hoping that we might find the vein 
again. There were favorable indications close un- 
der the centre wall ; but the vein dipped below the 
wall, and we worked on, at every step undermining it, 
and still led on by the hope of reaching one of those 
rare deposits in which thousands are found. We 



LAST LABOR AT THE MINES. 165 

were more encouraged in this idea by learning, on 
good evidence, that from one small spot near us, in 
the same channel, one miner, the last year, took 
il7,000. Why might not we strike it also ? Ev- 
ery appearance encouraged us, when we were aroused 
by a sudden and loud call from one of the directors, 
who had discovered two leaks in the dam, a few feet 
apart. In an instant we all rushed, with our spades 
and barrows of dirt, to the breaches, which each mo- 
ment gaped wider, and presented a more hopeless ap- 
pearance. All our efforts would have been vain, and 
the dam swept away, but for the aid of another com- 
pany near us. There was no more work, however J 
to be done that day, every thing being under the wa- 
ter. That was the last of my gold-digging. 

Nov. 10th. For the last time, I have just climbed 
the mountain above Hart's Bar. On looking back, 
below me is spread out the narrow, winding valley, 
between its two mountains, widening at that point 
into an extensive bar, through which, on account of 
the many dams, canals, and other obstructions, the 
tortured river seems to have infinite difficulty in forc- 
ing its way. There is also the collection of tents, 
and the miners engaged in cooking, and collected in 
small groups about their camp-fires, for it is a cool 
morning. There stand the wrecks of our aqueduct 
and canal ; the bare half channel of the river, and the 
surface of the bar scarred and pitted over. There is 
the scene of my labors for long months. There is 
my own arbor, and its last fire still smoking ; and 
there our place of worship ; and lower down is where 
our company meetings were held. And there are the 



166 JOURNEY TO STOCKTON. 

graves of our lost companions. But I must break 
from these scenes of disappointment and sadness — 
of broken hopes and broken hearts — and, invoking 
the blessing of a kind and gracious Father in heaven 
upon myself and those left behind, direct my steps 
to San Francisco. 

On the road, where before there v^^ere only tents 
or rude arbors, are now some frame buildings. And 
it was cause of surprise to see the great number of 
wagons and mule-trains, heavily laden for the mines. 
"Where were to be found consumers for all this ? Then 
came the news-man, with almost a mule-load of New 
York Heralds. I had come alone, and entirely un- 
armed, and it was a source of amusement to me to 
meet the emigrants on their way to the mines, com- 
pletely armed. A mile out from Stockton, I met a 
Frenchman, armed with a double hunting-gun, pis- 
tols, dirk, &c., who came up to me, looking careful- 
ly on this side and on that, and inquired anxiously, 
" Is there any danger about the bear ?" He seemed 
surprised when I told him I had come down from the 
mines alone and unarmed ; that on my way across 
the plain I had seen a few elk and deer, and immense 
herds of antelope. 

At Stockton I received letters from home of three 
months' later date ; and the same evening left, in one 
of the river steamers, for San Francisco, v/here I ar- 
rived early the next morning. 



SAN FRANCISCO. 167 



CHAPTER YI. 

SAN FRANCISCO. 
GENERAL ESTIMATE OF GAINS RETURN TO PHILADELPHIA. 

San Francisco, which has already been several 
times burned down, and as often, Phoenix-like, aris- 
en from its ashes, seems to be improved by each con- 
flagration. A new edition, revised and improved, has 
just been issued. I should not have known the city. 
Indeed, there was little there — excepting the land, 
and that cut down and changed — which had been 
there when I left. The city of tents and sheds was 
changed to one of substantial edifices, while some 
blocks of very respectable brick houses had been built. 
One could not pass through the city without being 
impressed with the sentiment which seems to de- 
scribe the whole thing, ^^ Enterprise run mad^^ 
Each one of the vast throng hastens on, busy in his 
own plans and pursuits. Nothing can so well give 
the idea, by a single image, of San Francisco, as nam- 
ing it a moral whirlpool. A mysterious, but all-per- 
vading and powerful attraction, emanating from this 
wonderful point, has been felt in the remotest parts 

* The following anecdote will illustrate this sentiment. A for- 
eigner of considerable wealth hastened with the crowd to Califor- 
nia. After spending a few days in San Francisco, he left for home, 
without making an investment of his money. He remarked, in a 
letter to a friend, " As soon as you reach San Francisco you will 
think every one is crazy ; and without great caution, you will be 
crazv yourself" 



168 STATE OF SOCIETY IN SAN FRANCISCO. 

of the earth. Civilized, semi-harbarous, and savage 
— American, European, Asiatic, and African — feel it. 
The missionary and the gambler, the praying and the 
profane man, have all felt it. Drawn from the pul- 
pit, the farm, the forum, the bench, they all rush — 
giddy, mazed — into this one vortex. Happy the few 
who escape unharmed ! 

To give such a sketch of society in San Francisco 
as could be understood and appreciated — 

" To force it sit, till he has pencil'd off 
A faithful image of the form he views" — 

would indeed be a difficult task. Every thing is in 
such a state of transition and change, from month to 
month, that a truthful description now would not be 
such one short year hence. When I first visited the 
city, the gamblers generally set their tables under 
large tents, which answered the purpose, also, of eat- 
ing-rooms. In my second visit, these tents had giv- 
en place to magnificent saloons. In these vast and 
splendid establishments, the mind was bewildered, 
the senses were fascinated. Appeals — almost irre- 
sistible to the young, often io the aged, and even to 
those who had ministered at the altar — were made, 
calculated to arouse the deepest and strongest pas- 
sions of our nature. There was wine, and the more 
intoxicating eye of beauty, to kindle and to madden. 
There was music, by the most accomplished and able 
professors of the art, to captivate. There were paint- 
ings, such as my pen may not describe ; and there 
were treasures of silver and gold, which might be 
theirs on the turn of a card. 

In my third visit to the city, these saloons had been 



CASE OF REMARKABLE SUCCESS. 169 

burned down, and replaced with others more splendid 
and attractive. The wine, the music, the tables of 
gold, coined and uncoined, are all there ; but no longer 
do such excited and eager crowds throng around the 
tables. There are still some who are risking and los- 
ing their all ; but, comparatively, they are few. 

While at San Francisco, an unusual case of suc- 
cess in mining has been made public, and created 
much excitement even in this city of wonders — so 
much so as to show that such instances are very rare. 
Three miners had worked a claim, from which, in the 
course of a few weeks, they took f 84,000. Their ex- 
penses for labor, provisions, &c., were about ^24,000 ; 
But they had with them each about $20,000. I was 
informed that several hundred miners had been at- 
tracted to the same bar by the success of these men, 
but that no other rich deposits had been found, and, 
in general, the others were not making a living. 
Notwithstanding the overgrown fortunes which have 
been, in some few cases, so rapidly accumulated, I 
hazard the assertion that in no other part of the 
United States can there be found so many persons 
abjectly poor, in proportion to the population, as 
among those who have resorted to California for pur- 
poses of mining. Much is now said, and considera- 
ble excitement felt, on the subject of the quartz 
mining. When two exceptions are made, I know 
of no locations where the quartz-crushing operations 
can be at present successfully prosecuted. Two rea- 
sons may be given for this opinion. One is, the high 
price of labor ; the second is, the difficulty of replac- 
ing parts of the machinery in case of a break. Many 

H 



170 CASTLE BUILDING A NEW YORK COMPANY. 

individuals and many companies will be losers by 
entering into the quartz mining speculations. 

The mode of conducting business in the cities is 
anomalous. No skill in business transactions ; no 
far-sighted, clear judgment; no long experience in 
matters of commerce, insure success here. It is much 
as it is at the mines. A happy hit, if made by the 
novice — and it is as likely to be made by him as by 
any — makes the poor man to-day a rich man to-mor- 
row. In the spring of 1849, the single article of sal 
eratus sold for $12 a lb. ; it could be purchased in 
New York at 4 cents. One hundred dollars invested 
in this single article, deducting all expenses, would 
yield at the least $25,000. At that same time, build- 
ing lots in Sacramento City were held at $500 ; in 
six weeks they brought $25,000. Let any one cal- 
culate for himself what would be the amount made 
from fifty lots at this rate. In the space of six months, 
the owner of $100 might be worth a million ! 

Such glittering and gilded castles as these, float- 
ing through the imaginations of thousands, led to 
those wild speculations in lumber, provisions, and 
other things, which, in the end, have come tumbling 
down upon the heads of the builders. 

"While at San Francisco I had opportunity of ob- 
taining information respecting the companies which 
had been formed in the States. Not one of these, so 
far as I could learn, continued together ; they were 
often dissolved before they reached the mines. And 
even if they held a charter, and were bound to each 
other under heavy liabilities, they soon fell to pieces 
on reaching the gold placers. One intelligent. gentle- 
man, who had enjoyed every opportunity for observa- 



STATISTICS OF COMPANIES. 171 

tion, related to me the history of the company with 
which he left New York. They numbered one hund- 
red and forty-one members. One of this company 
made $15,000 by trading ; another made $7000 in 
the same way. Two had made $6000 ; one as a tin 
manufacturer, the other by mining. Three had made 
$2000 ; two by mining and trading, and one by team- 
ing. One had made $1500, and another $1000. 
Half the remainder made a living by mining, gam- 
bling, or trading, and the remainder have died. 

Before I left the mines, I applied to the secretaries 
or other officers of mining companies upon the Tuo- 
lumne for statements respecting their operations dur- 
ing the past season. These were companies extend- 
ing along the river a few miles both above and below 
Hart's Bar. Their operations were generally more 
successful than those of other damming companies, 
excepting, perhaps, some upon the Yuba River. I 
speak within bounds when I say that four out of five 
of the river damming operations, through the whole 
mines, were failures. The averages of the fourteen 
companies given below were generally obtained from 
their books. In some instances, their mining opera- 
tions were continued after I left, but only in a limit- 
ed degree, and, in general, were entirely suspended, 
and the members were scattering among the various 
winter diggings, or, in a few cases, seeking their dis- 
tant homes. 

No. 1. 
Sighorita Bar Company. 
"Worked by G-reen T. Martin, of Rodney, Miss., and 
R. N. Wood, of Shievepoit, La, 



172 



STATISTICS. 



Total number of days, 1354. 

Highest number of hands one day, 96. 

Commenced on the 3d of September, and left on 
the 25th of October. 

Total amount taken from bar, $9700. 

Highest amount in one day, 7 lbs. 4 oz. 

Length of dam, 290 feet. 

Loss by rise of river in repairs, $1400. 

$1000 taken out since we left. Our force was too 
large to be longer profitably employed. The upper 
part of the bar was poor, and on the west side the 
bed was black slate, with a deposit of three or four 
feet, and on the slate was found pieces of pine and 
other timber ; and the whole had the appearance of 
ashes or ash-bed, the water upon it resembling soap- 
suds. All the specimens found contained greater or 
less quantities of quartz. R. N. Wood. 

No. 2. 
Stephens^ Bar Damming' and Mining Company. 
Grross amount of gold taken out this year from Ste- 
phens's Bar Damming and Mining Company, $12,000. 
October 26th, took out $1224. 
Length of canal, 1200 yards. 
Number of men in the company, 38. 
Number of days' work put on by each member, 120. 
Name of treasurer, Wm. Canfield, New York. 
" ^' secretary, John F. Sullivan, Baltimore. 

No. 3. 
Items of the Third Bar Company, Tuolumne River. 
Organized 25th July, 1850. 



STATISTICS. 173 

Number of members, private, 6. 
J. W. Morrel, president. 
C. Powell, secretary and treasurer. 
Number of members, aggregate, 8. 

" " Mexicans employed, average, 60. 
" '' days' labor, 4260. 
Length of canal, 730 yards. 

" '' dam, 88 yards. 
Cost of labor for day, $5 each. Mexican. 
Cost of labor, and other expenses, to complete the 
job, $239 48. 

Amount of gold and other valuables obtained from 
the above labor, 00. 

No. 4. 
Philadelphia Company. 
5 members ; 210 days ; amount of gold, 00. 

No. 5. 
Extension Company. 
12 members ; 1100 days. 
Amount, $2250. 
Average for day, $2 04. 

No. 6. 
Hawkinses Bar Company. 
N. Kingsley, president; John Richardson, secre- 
tary ; Greo. G-oodhart, treasurer. 
108 members. 
Time of labor, 7776 days. 
Amount of gold, $35,500. 
Average for day, $4 56. 



174 STATISTICS. 

No. 7. 
Ficket Company, 
Robert Armstrong, treasurer. 

14 members ; 434 days. 
Amount made, $4368. 
Average for day, flO 06. 

No. 8. 
Payne's Bar Company. 
20 members ; 1820 days ; amount, $6792. 
Average for day, $3 73. 

No. 9. 
Grisly Company. 
Greo. Buttress, president; D. F. Smyers, secretary 
and treasurer. 

10 members ; largest day's work, $2600. 
Time of labor, 540 days. 
Amount, ill,000. 
Average for day, $20 37. 

No. 10. 
Wild Yankee Company. 

15 members ; time, 450 days ; amount, $4000. 
Average for day, $8 88. 

No. 11. 
Jacksonville Company. 
Thos. Sayre, president; Gr. N. Harris, secretary; 
Greo. Somers, treasurer. 

50 members ; time of labor, 10,000 days. 



STATISTICS. 175 

Amount taken out, ^10,900. 
Average for day, $1 09. 

No. 12. 
Extension Company. 
20 members ; time, 720 days ; avails, 00. 

No. 13. 
York Bar Company. 
20 members ; 714 days ; avails, 00. 

No. 14. 
HarPs Bar Comparhy. 
Thos. S. Hotchkiss, president ; Daniel B. Woods, 
secretary and treasurer. 
Number of members, 21. 
Largest day's work, $4198. 
Number of days' labor, 1938. 
Total amount, $17,123. 
Average per day, $8 83. 

Number of members in these fourteen companies, 
344. 

Total number of days' labor, 35,876, or 114 years 
of 313 working days each. 

Total amount taken out, $113,633. 

Average for each day's labor, $3 16. 

My efforts to obtain averages of the winter mines 
were attended with much greater difficulty. But few 
of the miners kept any account of the results of their 
labors, and those who did were often unwilling that 



176 PROFITS OF FIFTY-SIX MINERS. 

their names should appear in connection with such 
inconsiderable profits. In my journal I have the 
names oi fifty -^six miners, generally of my acquaint- 
ance, who were laboring in the richest portions of the 
mines, and who have given me information respect- 
ing their operations. All whose names and averages 
I took were industrious, persevering, and, in some 
cases, skillful miners, so that the result given must 
be regarded as one which presents the most favorable 
view. It is probable, if an average could by any 
means be obtained of all the operations of all the min- 
ers, day by day, it would be much less than that at 
which I arrive. 

My estimate commences at the time I reached the 
Marepoosa diggings, which was the 12th day of No- 
vember, 1849, and a few days after the rainy season 
commenced, and ends at the time I went to Jackson- 
ville, April 3d, 1850, and covers a period of one hund- 
red and twenty-one working days to each of fifty-six 
miners, or six thousand seven hundred and seventy- 
six days in the aggregate. 

Number of miners, 5Q. 

Length of time, 121 working days. 

Total number of days' work, 6776. 

Whole amount made, ^22,089 76. 

The aggregate amount each day, averaged, $182 5Q>. 

Average to each of 56 miners, each day, $3 26. 

It would exhibit curious results were I prepared 
to present a statement of the mining operations of one 
hundred and twenty-nine miners with whom I have 



STORY OF AN EXQUISITE. 177 

"been connected since I came to California. Most of 
these left the mines before I did, some of them to re- 
turn home, and many to engage in other pursuits. 
Some remained only a few days. One of these, though 
I was not connected with him otherwise than as being 
with him on a prospecting tour for a day, was a nov- 
elty among us. He seemed to have just turned out 
of Broadway, or to have been turned out of a band- 
box. He was an exquisite, even to the white kid 
gloves, eye-glass, and Cologne water, with dancing 
pumps, and a small gold box suspended about his 
neck by a gold chain, in which to put his gold. With 
his dirk-knife, elegantly chased, he would go into a 
hole already dug, and spend an hour in scraping the 
dirt from the rocks, which he washed with great care, 
putting the few scales in the gold box around his 
neck. He had been transplanted from some green- 
house to these rough mountains, and soon faded away 
and died. 

Nov. 26th, 1850. We set sail in the French ship 
Chateanbriand, ''homeward bound." On January 
8th, 1851, reached Panama. After spending twenty 
days upon the Isthmus, on January 28th weighed 
anchor ; had a rapid run, the Greorgia putting into 
Havana for coal, and to part with a portion of her 
six hundred and fifty passengers ; and on Saturday, 
February 8th, arrived at New York, and the same 
night at Philadelphia, after an absence of two years 
and eight days. 



H2 



178 RETURN TO PHILADELPHIA. 

And now, as I take leave of my reader, lie will find 
me seated again at my old writing-desk — the Christ- 
mas present of my dear pupils, some of whom have 
already called in to see me. How familiar it looks ! 
And how light and cheerful every thing is, as if I had 
been shut up in a dark, close room so long ! And how 
familiar and dear are all the scenes and faces of home, 
only grown older and larger I I imagine myself, only 
one moment, back at the top of the hill from which I 
last saw my companions. I think they were then 
looking miserable in the distance, and I think they 
still look and feel so now. If they could hear me, I 
would wish them soon that happiness which can make 
them forget that they have not come home with their 
weight in gold, though they may find that which is 
more than worth it, for there are treasures more val- 
uable than gold. 



HINTS TO MINERS. 179 



CHAPTER VII. 

HINTS TO MINERS. 



The experience of sixteen months in the mines en- 
ables me to make a few suggestions which may be 
of importance to those intending to become miners. 

And with regard to the preparations which should 
be made, a great error has been committed by most 
California emigrants, in making too much prepara- 
tion. A change of substantial clothing, with several 
pairs of well-made water-proof boots, form a good out- 
fit in that line. It is important, where so much work 
is to be done in the water, to wear flannel, even in 
the summer. It is attended with great inconveni- 
ence and much expense to transport a large chest or 
trunk from place to place. I have known many, on 
arriving at San Francisco, who sell off, at a great 
loss, the greatest part of all their stores, reducing 
them to one change of clothing. There is great risk, 
also, of losing one's effects by fire or by water, or by 
the breaking up of the establishment in which they 
are stored. The Amity and Enterprise Association, 
formed before we left Philadelphia, can speak know- 
ingly upon this subject. Each individual of this as- 
sociation had an outfit which would have lasted three 
or four years. In addition, they had company prop- 
erty, in provisions, tents, mining utensils, &c., to a 
considerable amount. Most of this was sent around 
the Horn by several shipments. The rest we took 



180 HINTS AS TO OUTFITS. 

with us to Tampico. "When we readied this place, 
finding that the transportation across Mexico would 
be about ^50 a hundred, we packed most of our in- 
dividual property in a large box, and shipped it back 
to the States to be forwarded to California, This is 
the last we ever saw of its contents. Our provisions 
we sold at Tampico, which did not pay the custom- 
house duties upon them. Of those which were sent 
around the Horn, the provisions did not pay the freight 
and commissions on the sale ; and most of our cloth- 
ing, &c., were stored in San Francisco, and burned 
in the second great fire in that city, I do not know 
of a company which did not meet with losses in pro- 
portion to the extent of their outfits. The losses of 
those who crossed the plains in this respect were 
very great. Large quantities of valuable mining 
implements, hundreds of hams, bags of flour, and 
other provisions — even wagons, in large numbers — 
were left upon the road. It is often the case that 
persons suffer very seriously from their ignorance of 
the difficulties and expenses to which they will be 
liable after reaching Califorina, Many find them- 
selves in San Francisco with cramped means, and 
sometimes none at all, and with a long and expens- 
ive journey to the mines before them, besides many 
necessary articles which should be procured. Every 
miner should have ^150 by him on his arrival in the 
country. More would not be amiss. 

I believe all who are at the mines would agree with 
me in recommending to the new miner to leave all 
machinery behind him. If he takes any thing in that 
lino, let it be the best mining' pick and spade he can 



COMPANIES FORMED AT HOME. 181 

find, with a stout sheath-knife, and a horn for cre- 
vassing. The " cradle" is found any where in the 
settlements or in the mines. If it is intended to 
engage in the quartz-crushing operations, the most 
simple machinery is the best. The very complicated 
and expensive machinery which has, in several in- 
stances, been taken to the mines, has been useless. 
The least breakage will delay the whole work for 
months, till it is replaced from the States. 

By all means avoid companies which are got up 
at home for mining. Whatever facilities they offer ; 
whatever array of influential names they present ; 
whatever they purpose or promise to accomplish — if 
they come to you with a charter, or a ship, of which 
you are to share the advantages — avoid companies 
formed at home I They work badly ; they cramp 
your energies ; they entangle all your operations. In 
the mines, it will always be necessary for you to as- 
sociate yourself with one or two, and sometimes with 
twenty, or even fifty mining companions. These as- 
sociations are formed and terminate with the neces- 
sity of the occasion. 

Much time is lost in the mines by those who are 
led, by exaggerated stories of success, from a place 
where they are working with some advantage, to 
seek a better location. Leave the work of prospect- 
ing, principally, to the more experienced miners. 
There is an excitement connected with the pursuit 
of gold which renders one restless and uneasy — ever 
hoping to do something better. The very uncertain- 
ty of the employment increases this tendency. A 
person may be making his quarter ounce a day, and 



182 BE PERSEVERING. 

hears that a person a few miles from him is mak- 
ing an ounce. He is accordingly dissatisfied, and 
removes to the new diggings, there, probably, to be 
again disappointed. These exaggerated stories are 
most generally got up by traders in the place, in or- 
der to bring customers to their stores. I have no- 
ticed that those who remain most cons'tantly in one 
place are in the end most successful. 

When you have marked off your claim upon a bar 
—a place which has been proved — dig down to the 
rock I Many have been losers by relinquishing their 
work before it is finished. The gold is generally scat- 
tered upon the primitive rock. All the rich deposits 
are here. You may dig over the quarter part of your 
claim and find little gold, while a parcel contaming 
pounds may lie concealed in the last corner. A friend 
from Philadelphia, who marked off a claim at the Chi- 
nese diggings, dug it partly out, came to water, which 
disheartened him, and gave it up. Three miners went 
into it at once, and in a few hours had taken out 
$375. The necessity of perseverance in such an 
employment must be apparent to all. You can not 
hope to accomplish any thing without it. Your mot- 
to must be, " Hope on^ hope ever /" The treasure 
you seek may lie at the bottom of your next claim 
— it may be beneath the next stone. 

Be careful of your health I This once gone, your 
hopes are at an end. An unfortunate miner at the 
Marepoosa diggings, who had brought upon himself 
an attack of scurvy by the neglect of his health, said 
to me, during a visit made to him, " I would give all 
the gold of California, if I had it, for the health I had 



TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH. 183 

two weeks ago I" Fortunately, the supplies of pro- 
visions at the mines are better and more abundant 
than they were ; and there will be yet greater im- 
provement in this respect. Vegetables, of which we 
had none at first, are now regularly furnished. The 
great care should be, to guard against the influence 
of working in the water. To this you are necessa- 
rily exposed ; and, from my observation on this point, 
the danger arising from this exposure may, in gen- 
eral, be safely met by the care the miner takes of 
himself in his hours of rest. It is not his being wet 
during the time of labor which is most likely to prove 
injurious, but his remaining so during the reaction 
which takes place in the system at the close of labor. 
As you value your health, then, do not enter upon 
your hour of rest at noon, and especially do not leave 
work at night, without throwing aside your wet gar- 
ments and putting on dry ones. You will soon be 
aware of a great change which takes place in the 
temperature of the air, among the mountains, during 
every night of the year. You may lie down, wet and 
tired, at night, and perhaps not need a blanket, while 
before morning you will feel the need of two or three. 
It is not generally the most robust or vigorous who 
best stand the labor, the privations, or the exposure 
they are sure to meet. These seem the most liable 
to the many diseases of the country ; and perhaps it 
is for the very reason that, trusting to their strength 
and vigor of constitution, they do not take the neces- 
sary care of their health. 

There are many other points to which I might prof- 
itably call your attention, but respecting which ex- 
perience will be your best teacher. 



184 VARIETY OF GOLD DEPOSITS. 

A few thoughts as to the various kinds of gold and 
gold-digging. (See the Appendix.) The gold depos- 
its are found in the quartz and slate formations, in 
decomposed granite, in sand and gravel heds, and in 
clay. The largest specimens are found between the 
layers of slate over which the stream flows vertically. 
The rocks and soil are frequently volcanic, like those 
of Pompeii. Lumps of gold are often found alone, 
and are no indication of the existence of a rich de- 
posit. But the scale and dust gold is not found 
in this detached state ; it exists generally in veins, 
though sometimes much scattered through the soil 
by the action of the water. 

The river diggings are sometimes upon the bars 
over which the stream has formerly run. These bars 
are covered with stones, which, with a portion of the 
soil below, must be removed, to the distance of sev- 
eral feet. When, by experiment, it is found to yield 
gold, the cradle is placed by the river side, and the 
dirt is washed through it, while the gold settles at the 
bottom of the machine. At the close of the work, 
this is washed down in pans, and then is dried in 
the sun or by the fire, and is still farther cleaned by 
blowing, by the magnet, or by quicksilver. The riv- 
er diggings found in the channels require much more 
labor in the preparation, and must be worked by com- 
panies, sometimes of one hundred persons. A canal 
and dam must be made, to turn the water from the 
channel of the river. After that, the process is the 
same as the bar working. These constitute, gener- 
ally, the summer diggings, as the rivers are low, and 
in a better state for being worked. The winter dig- 



DIVERSITY OF DIGGINGS. 185 

gings are found among the ravines and gulches, and 
upon the plains where the streams have formerly run. 
These are dry in summer, and can only be worked 
after the rainy season commences. But the Mexi- 
cans and Chilinos have a method of " dry washing," 
or winnowing the gold-dirt, much as grains are win- 
nowed, the dirt being blown away, and the gold fall- 
ing into the blanket or skin. The dry diggings are 
sometimes worked during the dry season, and the 
dirt thrown up in heaps, to be washed out when there 
is water. If worked in the rainy season, the water 
must be turned by small dams and canals, leaving 
the channel and its banks dry. This kind of labor 
is very difficult, but often pays well. The other kind 
of dry digging is the most laborious of all. It is some- 
times the case that very rich deposits are found upon 
the small plains lying between the mountains. The 
river which formerly ran here has been displaced by 
the soil, which accumulates to a great depth. The 
soil must be removed, sometimes to the depth of 
twenty, thirty, or even forty feet, before the gold is 
found. When found, it sometimes proves very rich, 
but more frequently very poor. I have seen a com- 
pany of nine persons labor for two weeks, keeping 
down the water with pumps, and, after all their toil, 
not find a grain of gold to reward their efforts. It is 
truly one of the most discouraging circumstances in 
a miner's life, that, although he may one day make 
his pounds, the next he may make little or nothing. 
It is equally disheartening to him to be working 
all day for the merest trifle, while by his side, and 
within a few feet of him, another is taking out his 



186 SUBMARINE LABOR. 

pounds. But let him persevere, and success may "be 
his reward. 

The actual time favorable for mining during the 
year is very limited, the greater proportion of which 
is spent in preparations. Some of the river compa- 
nies spent five, and one six months' time, in mak- 
ing their canal, dam, and other preparations for two 
months' mining, in September, October, and Novem- 
ber. Much time is lost during the excessive heat of 
the dry and the storms of the rainy season, and more 
in the profitless, but arduous labor of prospecting'. 
Then much time must be spent in removing, in pur- 
chasing provisions, in building houses, &c. If all the 
days of actual mining were set down, they would 
not, I think, amount to more than seventeen weeks 
in the year. 

Much was anticipated, at the commencement of 
the last rainy season, from the use of the submarine 
armor in working the channels of the rivers. Much 
money was expended, and much time lost in making 
experiments, but to little advantage. In every in- 
stance where they were tried on the Tuolumne, they 
were soon abandoned as useless. The experiments 
tried near me were made by an old G-eorgia gold 
miner, and one who had been accustomed to the use 
of the submarine suit, which he had worn in recov- 
ering some treasures from a ship sunk in the Missis- 
sippi. But he never accomplished any thing with it 
at the mines. In addition to the cradle, which has 
been always in use in the mines, the North Carolina 
rocker and the Long Tom are used to advantage upon 
the placers where the gold is very fine. These are 



EXPOSURE TO VICE. 187 

both, however, made on the same general principle 
as the simple cradle. The principal difference is, 
that they are larger and longer. 

Before closing this chapter of miscellanies, I will 
endeavor to guard you against some moral evils — 
or I might better name them immoral influences — 
to which you will be exposed. 

Why it is so, it is not my purpose now to inquire ; 
but such is the fact, that in California there are cir- 
cumstances which render vice very attractive and 
alluring, and which, unless resolutely resisted, draw 
the mind to become familiar with it, and in the end 
to embrace it. The man esteemed virtuous at home 
becomes profligate, the honest man dishonest, and the 
clergyman sometimes a profane gambler; while, on 
the contrary, the cases are not few of those who were 
idle or profligate at home, who come here to be re- 
formed. It can not be known what influence such 
trials and temptations will exert upon the character 
till they are tried. If they are resisted, the charac- 
ter is strengthened ; if they are not resisted, the pro- 
pensity to vice is proportionally increased. But not 
only does vice seem more alluring here — it comes, 
from the very circumstances in which the miner is 
placed, to be a substitute for common amusement. 
He has not the society of the home circle to cheer 
and enliven him. Disheartened, often reduced to the 
depths of melancholy, he has no longer the friends — 
the innocent recreations to which he has been accus- 
tomed. On the Sabbath morning, no church is open 
for the sad and dispirited wanderer, self-exiled from 
his father's house ! No mother, or sisters, or beloved 



188 TEMPTATIONS MUST BE RESISTED. 

wife can cheer him by their conversation and smiles. 
Is it to be wondered at, then, that in his gloom he 
listens to the voice of the Syren, and turns away to 
seek those broken cisterns which can hold no water ? 
Do you net perceive that he is exposed to peculiar and 
great danger ? But recollect, if the danger is great, 
so much greater is the virtue of overcoming it. If 
the trial is severe, so much stronger the energy and 
resolution which is requisite to vanquish it. And if 
the temptation is resisted, the moral principles are 
strengthened just in proportion to the degree of tempt- 
ation. The young man who returns home from Cal- 
ifornia untainted, and of whom it may be said, 

" Amoug the faithless, faithful he," 

may ever after be trusted. He has been tried as gold 
is tried, and the trial has but served to exhibit the 
excellence of his character ; and well may his friends 
esteem and love him more, even if he returns to them 
without an ounce of gold, than if he came home with 
his thousands with a ruined character. 

As I entered one of the magnificent gambling sa- 
loons of San Francisco, and proceeded from one table 
to another, I saw, to my surprise, a young man, who 
had come from one of the most religious families in 
his native city, placing down his money upon the 
table. I stepped to his side. In a moment the card 
was turned, and a small amount of silver was added 
to that already in his hand. He looked anxiously at 
me, and said, "I would not have my mother know 
what I am doing for all the money in this room." 
"Why then do it?" I asked; "have you thought to 
what the first step may lead?" "But what can I 



GAMBLING AND INTEMPERANCE. 189 

do," he said, earnestly; " I came not here to gamble, 
but to find amusement ; and can you tell me what 
other amusement is within my reach ?" I think that 
was the first, and am sure it was the last time that 
my friend visited the saloons for the purpose of gam- 
bling. But it affords an illustration of the subject — 
the danger, in the absence of proper subjects of in- 
terest and amusement, of seeking these in wrong and 
sinful ways. Many a person in California becomes 
a professed gambler in consequence of taking the 
first step from desire of amusement. It can not be 
impressed upon your mind too deeply that the gam- 
bling table is the place of the greatest danger. It is 
one of the most ensnaring inventions of the great en- 
emy of souls. 

But how shall I speak of a kindred subject, so 
fraught with danger that numbers of our most gift- 
ed citizens have yielded themselves to it. I think 
intemperance may be named as, next to gambling, the 
most prevailing vice of California. They generally 
go hand in hand. In this country, where the com- 
mon restraints are removed which formerly imposed 
a salutary check, this vice gains disgusting and dan- 
gerous prominence. All that it is in its secluded or- 
gies, all that it becomes in its favorite haunts else- 
where, it is in California in open day. It blushes not 
to show itself in its most fearful forms even in the 
public streets. Many a poor miner, who becomes dis- 
couraged and sinks down into gloom, flies to strong 
drink as he would to a friend from whom he expects 
to receive relief. Occasionally, the Daguerreotype 
likenesses of dear friends at home, or the sight of the 



190 LICENTIOUSNESS AND PROFANITY. 

neglected Bible — (for most miners have both of these, 
almost their only treasures) — or the reception of a 
letter, the miner's only luxury, recalls him to his 
better self, puts new hopes, new resolutions, and new 
life into him. But gradually he yields the ground 
again ; again he stands on slippery places, and soon 
he staggers into his grave, for soon does vice of every 
kind perfect its work here. Licentiousness^ which is 
so destructive an evil in large cities in Europe and 
America, is found also in California, and there pro- 
duces its bitter fruits. Profanity — a kind of its own ; 
a bold, independent, and startling profanity — is far 
too common in the mines, as it is in the settlements. 
Several have told me that they have fallen into this 
habit unconsciously, and, in some instances, have 
asked, as an act of friendship, that I would aid them 
in correcting it. In one case, a company of young 
men from New England mutually pledged themselves 
to each other and to me to refrain from this habit. 
For the very reason that it is so insinuating, and 
creeps so gradually upon one, should it be more sed- 
ulously avoided. In my own case, I could perceive 
that the constant listening to profane language pro- 
duced a familiarity which continually lessened the 
sense of repugnance it occasioned. This would have 
been more and more the case, had I not adopted an 
expedient, which, while it aimed at the good of oth- 
ers, had the effect to guard my own mind against the 
moral contagion. The expedient which I adopted was 
this : when I heard a profane oath, I accompanied it 
with a petition to Heaven in behalf of him who had 
uttered it. 



RESPECTING RELIGION. 191 

No man, young or old, should go to California un- 
less he has firmness of principle enough to resist, and 
forever hold at bay, all the vices of the country, in 
v^hatever disguise they may present themselves, and 
in however fascinating shapes they may appear. 

If I were asked what was the state of religion in 
the mines, I could only say, it is in no state. There 
are many men there who maintain their integrity and 
their piety. If there is preaching, it is well and re- 
spectfully attended. Many, perhaps most, occasion- 
ally read their Bibles or tracts. There is a respect 
for religion, as there is a respect for every thing which 
reminds one of home ; but society must be in a very 
different condition — it must be settled, and have some 
elements of permanence — before a decidedly religious 
influence can be brought to bear upon it. When I 
say that the sound of the pick, spade, and rocker are 
seldom heard on the Sabbath — that the Bible is often 
and devoutly read — that often, from beneath soma 
cluster of trees, the cheering sound of some hymn 
and the preacher's voice are heard, it is as much as 
can be said. 

As to the operation of the laws at the mines, and 
their effects upon the interests of the community, I 
can only give the facts in the case, without discuss- 
ing the subject. When we first reached the gold 
diggings, life and property were comparatively secure. 
Without law, except the law of honor ; without re- 
straint, except that imposed by the fear of summary 
punishment, which was sure to follow the only crimes 
cognizable under the new code — those of stealing- 
and of murder — we were comparatively safe. If 



192 LAW AND JUSTICE. 

the ''way of the transgressor was hard," it was also 
speedily terminated. It was the reign of the rifle 
and the halter. And yet this was a people who had 
been accustomed to the laws of civilized countries, 
and who yet loved order. The principles of a repub- 
lican government were only adapting themselves to 
a new and untried emergency. The crime was com- 
mitted, and proved in the presence of a competent and 
impartial jury, who were also required to award the 
punishment. The sentence was pronounced by the 
alcalde, a grave was dug, the sharp crack of the rifle 
was heard, the body was buried, and every man pro- 
ceeded silently to his own work. I have never yet 
heard of the case in which the verdict given under 
the first system was an unrighteous one, or the pun- 
ishment inflicted undeserved. 

But a change came ; civil laws were enacted in 
the mines ; and what was the result ? Why, crimes 
of every kind were committed, and the very oflicers 
of justice were met by the taunt, " Catch me, if you 
can !" Seldom was the criminal caught ; and when 
caught; more seldom was he brought to punishment. 
And there is but one opinion among the miners, that 
the system vntliout civil law^ but ivith summary jus- 
tice^ is, in the state of society ivhich now exists in 
California, incomparably better than the system with 
such law^ hut without justice. 

Ere long, California will have a truly golden age, 
when law and justice, and every moral and Chris- 
tian virtue shall prevail. 



APPENDIX. 



I GIVE extracts from a letter which was written by Rev. Dr. Hitch- 
cock, president of Amherst College, as containing some valuable hints 
to the miner. The reader will be struck by the accuracy of the opin- 
ions so early expressed, and which correspond so exactly with the 
facts since developed. It will be considered that Dr. Hitchcock could 
not then have seen even the first official report from the Mint, as it 
was some time after the receipt of his letter that the author had the 
pleasure of hearing Dr. Patterson read that report in manuscript. The 
first deposit of gold was made at the Mint December 8th, and the let- 
ter is dated December 25th, 1848. 

To the Rev. Daniel B. Woods. 

Dear Sir, — I believe that in almost every case gold mines that are 
worked occur in loose soil, sand and gravel, where the gold is in 
grains, and has been washed out of the rocks. Such is the case in 
the Uralian Mountains and Siberia, where I believe that not one mine 
is worked in the solid rocks, although some veins are known. I should 
not, therefore, search for veins in the mountains, but try to find the 
best spots on the banks of rivei's. Success must depend much, indeed, 
upon chance, though practice doubtless would afford some marks that 
would be of service. If you should find veins in the rocks, I doubt 
whether they would be profitable to work. I have a strong suspicion 
that gold will be found all along the western part of our Continent; 
perhaps through the whole of California and Oregon ; for I suspect 
that this is the eastern side of a vast gold deposit in Asia, reaching as 
far west as the Uralian Mountains. If this opinion would increase 
the gold fever, I think you had better not mention it. It may not 
pi-ove true. 

I hope you will improve your health, if not your fortunes, by this 
voyage. Let your expectations of success in gold-digging be moder- 
ate, and then I think the jaunt will do you good. That God's provi- 
dence may be over you is the wish and prayer of 

Yours respectfully and sincerely, 

Edward Hitchcock. 

Amherst. December 25(h. 184S. 

I 



194 APPENDIX. 

r.S. — Magnetic iron sand is an almost invariable attendant of good 
deposits of gold, and I should not be very sanguine of finding good 
deposits when this is wanting. 

Letter from Geo. F. Du7ining, Esq., Clerk in the Mint of the Unilcl 
States. 

Mint of the United States, ? 
Philadelphia, June 18, 1851. > 

Dear Sir, — In compliance v/ith your request, I proceed to give you 
some information respecting the Mint establishment, and the terms 
upon which it receives bullion for coinage. You are doubtless cor- 
rect in supposing that much misapprehension exists both as to the 
character of the establishment and the routine of its business. Within 
the limits of a letter, I can, of course, do little else than notice briefly 
a few prominent subjects. 

A uniform and reliable currency being a national benefit, our gov- 
ernment regards the support of the Mint establishment as properly a 
national expense. Any person may bring his bullion to the Mint, and 
have it converted into coin without charge. Many well-informed per- 
sons suppose that all the coinage of the Mint is for government ac- 
count. On the contrary, the bullion is all deposited by indivfduals, 
and is coined for them. Government simply receives the bullion, as- 
certains its value, converts it all to a uniform standard, shapes it into 
coins, and puts a stamp upon it that shall give assurance of its value. 
From the coins thus made, each depositor is paid the exact value of 
his bullion. 

The term bullion, as used at the Mint, includes all gold and silver, 
whether in the shape of bars, lumps, grains, plate, or foreign coins. 
All these varieties of bullion are received at the Mint for coinage, 
but no deposit is received of less value than one hundred dollars. 

The weights used at the Mint are Troy weights, and they are al- 
ways expressed in ounces and decimals of an ounce. Thus, 18 oz. ]5 
dwt. is written 18-15 oz. 

1\\e fineness of bullion is expressed in thousandths. The standard 
of our coins, as fixed by law, is 900 thousandths ; that is, in 1000 
ounces of coin, 900 ounces must be pure metal, and 100 alloy. The 
fineness of deposits is similarly expressed. Thus, 860 thousandths 
fine signifies that of a given weight (of gold, for instance) 860 thou- 
sandth pai'ts are pure gold, and the remainder (140 thousandths) some 
other metal. 

When bullion is left at the Mint for coinage, a receipt is given to 
the depositor, bearing the date and number of the deposit as entered 



APPENDIX. 195 

in the weigh-book, and made payable to him or his order. In this 
receipt, of course, only the weight of the bullion before melting can 
be stated ; its value depends upon its weight after melting, and its 
fineness, which is to be subsequently determined by assay. 

Each deposit is separately assayed and reported upon by the as- 
sayer. Its value is then calculated, and a detailed memorandum pre- 
pared, exhibiting the number, date, depositor's name, kind of bullion, 
weights before and after melting, fineness, silver parted (if the de- 
posit is gold), value of the gold, value of silver parted, deductions, and 
net value payable to the depositor. This memorandum is given to 
the depositor with his coin. Deposits are assayed, calculated, and 
ready for payment generally within a week alter they are made; 
and they are paid on the surrender of the original Mint receipt. 

I have said that the Mint makes no charge for converting bullion 
into coin. This is strictly ti'ue ; but, inasmuch as depositors will fre- 
quently find by their " memorandums" that certain deductions have 
been made by the Mint from the proceeds of their bullion, some far- 
ther explanations are required. A miller who should grind wheat 
and corn without taking toll, would be correctly said to grind without 
charge. And if a farmer should carry his wheat in the sheaf, or his 
corn in the ear, or corn and wheat mixed together in the same bag, 
he would hardly object to pay the miller for thrashing, shelling, or 
separating. If a depositor brings to the Mint bullion "fit for coin- 
age," that is, of standard fineness and properly alloyed, he will re- 
ceive in return an equal weight of coins, without charge or deduction 
of any kind. If, however, his bullion requires refining, alloying, 
toughening, or separating, to make it "fit for coinage," this prelimin- 
ary expense, carefully determined by experience, is deducted from 
the proceeds of the deposit. 

The discovery of the California mines has suddenly increased the 
deposits at the Mint from five or six millions of dollars annually to 
thirty or forty millions. The whole amount received at the Mint and 
branches, from December, 1848, to this date, is about sixty-six mill- 
ions of dollars. Of this, about twenty-four millions belong to the pres- 
ent year. 

The fineness of California gold ranges from about 825 to 950 thou- 
snndths. The bulk of them, however, are between 870 and 900, the 
average being about 884. At this fineness, if entirely free from dirt, 
an ounce of gold, with the silver contained (deducting Mint charges), 
is |18 34. There is usually present iu Cahfornia gold a portion of 
dirt, averaging five or six per cent, of the weight. Five per cent, of 
dirt would reduce the avenge value iriven above to $17 A1. 



196 APPENDIX. 

The gold of California contains usually about eleven per cent, of sil- 
ver. This silver is separated for the benefit of the depositor, when 
the amount contained in the deposit is sufficiently large to pay the 
expense of separating, and yield a surplus of at least five dollars. If 
the surplus is less than this, the depositor receives no benefit from it, 
the law requiring that it shall accrue to the Mint, and be used for 
paying ordinary expenses. It is therefore for the interest of deposit- 
ors to make their deposits sufficiently large to secure the silver con- 
tained. At the average fineness of 884, this would require from 75 
to 80 ounces. 

For more complete information on this subject, your readers may 
be referred to a small woi'k entitled " New Varieties of Coins and 
Bullion, &c., by J. R. Eckfeldt and W. E. Du Bois, Assayers of the 
Mint, 1850," and to a pamphlet entitled " Guide to the Value of Cali- 
fornia Gold, by Geo. W. Edelman, U. S. Mint, 1850." 
Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

Geo. F. Dunning. 
Rev. Daniel B. Woods, Philadelphia. 

P.S. — The following rules for making calculations of weight and 
value may not be unacceptable to the readers of your book. 

1. To convert Pounds Avoirdupois to Ounces Troy. — From the av- 
oirdupois weight, expressed in pounds and decimals of a pound, sub- 
tract one eighth. Divide the sum thus obtained by -06, and the quo- 
tient will be the Troy weight in ounces and decimals. 

2. To convert Ounces Troy to Pounds Avoirdupois. — Multiply the 
Troy weight in ounces and decimals l)y -06. To this product add 
its seventh, and you have the avoirdupois weight in pounds and deci- 
mals. 

3. To find the Standard Weight of Gold or Silver, the gross weight 
and fineness being given. — Multiply the gross weight, in Troy ounces 
and decimals, by the fineness in thousandths, and divide the sum by 
900. The quotient will be the standard weight in ounces and deci 
mals. 

4. To find the Vahte of Gold and Silver. — Gold. Multiply the 
standard weight, in Troy ounces and decimals, by 800, and divide 
the product by 43. The quotient is the value in dollars and cents. 

Silver. To the standard weight, in Troy ounces and decimals, 
add its one eleventh part, and eight tenths of one eleventh. The sum 
will be the value in dollars and cents. 

5. To convert the fineness expressed in Carats into Thousandths. — 
Multiply the carats by 41§. The product is the equivalent fineness 
in thousandths. 



APPENDIX. 197 



Since the completion of my work, I have received from Col. J. J. 
Abert, of Washington, the Report of P. T. Tyson, Esq., presented to 
the Senate of the United States by the Secretary of War. 

Although it is too late to avail myself of the valuable information 
contained in this report from one who has made a thorough and sci- 
entific reconnoissance of the mineral and vegetable wealth, the cli- 
mate and agriculture of California, I am induced to present a few ex- 
tracts, which refer more immediately to the mines. It was a soui-ce 
of much gratification to find the views and statements I have given 
so fully corroborated by this report. 

It will be noticed that the averages of the daily profits of the min- 
ers arrived at by Mr. Tyson, as the I'esult of careful observation, dif- 
fers but a trifle from the averages given in this volume. In his arti- 
cle upon the gold regions, he writes : 

" Although a large amount of gold has been collected in California 
wkhin the past eighteen or twenty months" (he writes at the close of 
1849), " yet, considering the number of persons engaged in digging for 
it, the average amount to each is far less than is generally supposed. 
This conclusion is forced upon the mind irresistibly, when the results 
of the actual experience of a large number of the operators are taken 
into consideration. 

"The newspapers frequently relate instances of the return of indi- 
viduals with considerable sums of gold. Many of these ai'e much 
overrated, and the far greater number obtained it by other means 
than digging with their own hands — one portion by honest trading ; 
but much of the hard-earned treasure in the hands of returned indi- 
viduals has been borne off in triumph, and brought home as the spoils 
of the conqueror, in contests where honor belongs to neither winner 
nor loser. 

" Representations from and about Cahfomia are to be received with 
jnany grains of allowance. The preternatural excitement which has 
been produced by divei's causes, in some cases to promote individual 
benefit, has really impaired to a large extent the faculty of seeing 
things as they would otherwise have been viewed. And there is yet 
no prospect of an end to this state of things, because, as soon as the 
public mind begins to recover from the eftects of previous causes of 
undue excitement, additional ones are presented in the shape of most 
exaggerated accounts of golden discoveries. Whether the public 
good will be promoted by this state of things may well be doubted. 
A reference to some of these causes it is proper to give. 



198 APPENDIX. 

" It is the intei-est of the numerous traders within the gold region 
to collect around them as many diggers as possible, and each is very 
naturally induced to regard favorably the diggings of his own vicinity, 
and takes means to spread accounts of its richness. Wonderful sto- 
ries are circulated, in some instances, to increase the population at a 
particular spot ; and when the diggers flock to it, they often find it no 
better than the one they left, and sometimes less productive. A very 
large proportion of those persons we saw in the gold region were in 
transitu; and, upon inquiry, we learned from them usually that the 
place they had left was unpi'oductive, and they were bound for an- 
other which they had heard was producing very largely ; and on the 
same day, perhaps, would be seen other parties prospecting, as they 
term it, or looking for better diggings than the poor ones they had 
left, and in many cases just from the reported good diggings the first 
party were going to. At some of these places you would hear of some 
one being very fortunate, and that they averaged per day a half ounce, 
one, two, or three ounces ; but, like the tariff for postage, they never 
appear to get 1^, 2i, 3J, and so on. These accounts from particaiar 
spots sometimes find their way into California papers, and from them 
are copied and spread far and wide at home. Notwithstanding all 
this waste of time, and that nine out of ten who left their homes un- 
der erroneous expectations in reference to the faciHty with which the 
gold could be had, have been cruelly disappointed, yet the extent and 
number of the I'avines containing gold is such that the large number 
of diggers have, in the aggregate, produced a considerable amount of 
this metal. 

"It is impossible to ascertain the amount of labor there has been 
required, oi", in other words, the avei*age number who have worked 
at the diggings, and the number of days' work of each. * * If we 
suppose only ten thousand to have worked steadily during three hund- 
red days out of about six hundred since the digging began, and sup- 
pose each to have gained an average amount of $3 per day, the ag- 
gregate would amount to $9,000,000, being very much more than the 
whole amount exported in every way from California up to the first 
December last, to all countries, Oi'egon inclusive. As the cost of liv- 
ing fully equals $3 per day, it would appear that gold-digging is not as 
good as laboring at home, where the laborer can save something. * * 

" Many of our citizens hastened to California during the past year 
in consequence of the numerous exaggerated, one-sided stories which 
were circulated in reference to the facility with which gold could be 
gathered. They had been told of various individuals who had collect- 
ed large sums ; a few had done so ; but the experience of the many, 



AITENDIX. 



199 



who did not pay expenses by gold-digging alone, from the nature of 
the case, is far less likely to be known. 

" As with lotteries, Xhe feio who draw large prizes become subjects 
of conversation ; but nothing is heard of the many who draw blanks, 
or prizes too small to pay the cost of the tickets. # # # 

" Divesting the newspaper accounts fi-om California of certain ex- 
pressions bordering rather too much upon the hyperbolic order, they 
amount to the fact that the outcrops of certain veins" — of gold-bear- 
ing quartz — " have been i-emoved. Such expressions might have 
materially increased the fever but for the frequency of similar causes, 
which at length but slightly affect the body politic, because, like the 
body corporate in certain cases, it is becoming acclimated. Some of 
the expressions alluded to, and copied from California papers into 
our own, about ^gold-bearing quartz said to be found in inexhaustible 
masses or quarries through the ivhole mountahious region which forms 
the tvestern slope of the Sierra Nevada,^ and ' these quartz mountain 
quarries, and divers others, are indicative of a state of aurimania. 
Accounts are also given of the yield of gold said to be averages of 
these great gold ' quarries.' That the specimens from which the gold 
was extracted contained the stated proportions is most likely, but 
that is a very different affair from the average rate of productions of 



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pressive pictures to the mind. — Christian Parlor Magazine. 

His descriptions of scenery and manners, as well as historical sketches, are admi- 
rably fresh, picturesq\ie, and original ; and the information he conveys is derived from 
the most authentic sources, and free from prejudice, or any motive to untruth. — 
New York Evangelist. 

It is full of information and life, telling stories of land and sea in a way to stir 
the passion for adventure without harm to the sobriety of the reader's temper, or the 
steadfastness of his faith. We need such books always, and especially now, when 
a new age of marine adventure is awakened, and our youth are taking with fresh zeal 
to the seas. Voyages are always captivating to the young, and happy is it when the 
story is told by a Christian or a man of taste. The book is just the thing for the host 
of bo)'s between fourteen and twenty, the mighty generation now starting on the race 
or voyage of life. — Christian Enquirer. 

It is written with good judgment and good taste, and contains much valuable infor- 
mation that will be welcome to all classes, and especially to the friends of Christian 
missions. — New York Observer. 

His book can not fail to be widely read during the present excitement in regard 
to every thing connected with the Pacific Ocean. — New York Tribune. 

It is full of pleasing incident told in a pleasing vein, and lets one deeply into the 
reality of that island life, whereof Typee and Kaloolah gave us its mystery and ro- 
mance. — Rochester American. 

The manners and morals of the Hawaiians as also their religious condition are 
well described, and the influence and the operations of the missionaries are depicted 
in a much more favorable and candid spirit than has been the case with other travel- 
ers. — Protestant Churchman. 

Mr. Cheever has a painter's eye and a poet's heart ; and his descriptions are full 
of life, and nature, and feeling. They partake of the sublime, the pathetic, the 
amusing, and the instructive ; and wherever else the book may lack readers, it will 
always be a favorite in the forecastle and in the "cabin boy's locker."— fios?o« Pu- 
ritan Recorder 

It is the record of travel, in the fullest sense of the term, giving, as we judge, 
a true picture of the people, with whom the author was thrown into contact. Nu- 
merous wood-cuts from original designs embellish the volume.— .V. Y. Commercial. 

A volume worthy of the age, and of the present wants of the v/orld. We have pe- 
rused it with unmingled pleasure and delight, and promise any one who will take the 
trouble to open it, an amount and richness of information relative to the Polynesian 
world, to be obtained from no other source. — American Spectator. 

Those who have read " The Whale and his Captors" will require no assurance that 
this new production of its accomplished author is a pleasing and instructive book. 
The "Island World of the Pacific" will add to the reputation of the writer, and 
will, we doubt not, become a popular work. — Albany Evening Journal. 

The hook is written in a lively and pleasant style, and has an air of life about it 
which makes it i>eculiai!y valuable and ■diUz.vU'ye. — Boston Evening Journal. 



THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND MEMOKIALS 

OF 

CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR: 

FOR FIFTY YEARS MARINER AND SHIPMASTER FROM THE 
PORT OF NEW YORK. 

BY REV. HENRY T. CHEEVER, 

AUTHOR OF 
••THE WHALE AND HIS CAPTORS," AND "ISLAND WORLD OF THE PACIFIC," 

16mO, MUSLIN, 50 CENTS. 

This is a fitting mouuineiit to the memory of an old sailor, who, after 
having weathered many storms on the ocean of life, arrived safe, at an 
advanced age, in the haven of everlasting rest. There is a good deal of 
interesting incident in his life, but the most interesting circumstance is 
that, in spite of the peculiar temptations to which his profession exposed 
him, he maintained a close and humble walk with God. It is proper that 
the example of such a man should be embalmed, and Mr. Cheever has 
done it well. — New York Observer. 

The individuality described is that of a man exposed to the varied 
temptations and distractions of a sailor's hfe, but still drawn neavenward 
by the influence of the spirit of God, and describing in a simple and un- 
affected manner the influence of God's mercies and chastisements in the 
formation of his character as a Christian. The tone of the book is healthy 
and liberal ; it appears to contain much to recommend it to the perusal of 
those who are looking to God as their " ever present help in every time 
of trouble." The author already enjoys a high reputation from his "Isl- 
and World of the Pacific." — Parker's Journal. 

"With the trials and adventures of a veteran sailor, there is blended in 
this narrative a minute account of his rehgious experience. Independent, 
therefore, of the interest of the memoir, the work, from its clear style agd 
cheap form, is well adapted for the Sunday reading of the forecastle, and 
should be distributed by the friends of seamen. — Home Journal. 

This is a faithful, well-written, and instructive biography of an eminent- 
ly practical good man. It deserves a place, and will have it, in our Dis- 
trict and Sabbath School libraries. — Harfford Courant. 

Captain Congar was a genuine old Pviritan salt, who sailed for more 
than fifty years as a shipmaster out of this port. He, of course, led a life 
of vicissitude and adventure, which he relates, partly himself, and partly 
through Mr. Cheever, with great earnestness and simplicity .--jEre/i. Post. 

In the autobiography of Capt. Congar we find much to admire and more 
to respect. His life was one universally instructive, and can not fail to be 
particularly interesting to every nautical individual, whether he be a ship- 
master or an humble seaman before the mast. He was eminently a holy 
man, a faithful Christian, and an untiring laborer in the cause of his Master. 
It is appropriately dedicated by the author to the Seaman's Friend Soci- 
eties of the two" great commercial nations of the globe — England and 
America. — Ncm Yo7-k Partner and Mechanic. 

From such a history useful lessons may be drawn, and its perusal will 
have a tendency to strengthen good purposes, and to incite others to fol- 
low a worthy example, while as^a mere personal narrative it will be found 
entertaining and often of thrilling mterest.—Northerti Budget. 



